Is there a prejudice or stigma against Star Trek?

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

Does anyone else believe this? Are people branded as geeks or nerds if they like Star Trek? Why is it that a lot of people believe that Star Trek is dead? Is it because they want it to go away? You don't hear them saying the same thing about the new Dr. Who show and it has been around probably longer than Trek. It is interesting to watch people's reactions when you mention that you are a Star Trek fan.

[Maksutov]

Good question.

Of course there is.

As Manfred Mann might say, from without and within.

From without the usual labels of incompetent geeks whose sister would turn them down re a date to the prom.

From within (from sci-fi "purists"), the claims that Star Trek: TOS wasn't real scifi, but just Wagon Train (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050073/) in space.

Well, re the later, how many remember and buy DVDs of Wagon Train? Plus more importantly, how many made a connection to Star Trek?

Re the former, how many scripts of Star Trek distilled a traditional scifi plot down to essentials? Maybe not all 79, but a large percentage thereof.

Therefore let them brand themselves and be at peace.

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/3461/iconcool9io.gif

[Lianachan]

I think there's a sliding scale for this.

Liking Star Trek is fair enough, and in itself shouldn't be enough to get you labelled as a nerd. Owning every single episode of every single version of Star Trek sees you make significant strides towards being regarded as a nerd. Once you start dressing up to go to conventions, you are a nerd beyond redemption.

It's not unique to Star Trek though. It seems to apply to most science fiction series. Extreme Blake's 7 fans spring to mind, as, of course, do the more flamboyant fans of Star Wars.

[Tog_]

On those times this comes up for me I usually make the qualifying statement:

"Yes, I like Star Trek, but I don't have plasic ears or a foam latex forhead."

I would like one of those knives Worf used near the end though...

Oh, and I think Owning the DVD's and going to the conventions is much more in Geek Territory than Nerd Territory. A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.;)

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.;)


that's a quotable quote if there ever was one...classic

[Jason Thompson]

Owning every single episode of every single version of Star Trek sees you make significant strides towards being regarded as a nerd.

Although I can't see why. It's a bit rich that someone who owns every episode of Star Trek should be regarded as a nerd while someone who owns every episode of, say, M*A*S*H is not. It's still just collecting a TV series you enjoy. Someone who puts posters of Star Trek on their wall is a nerd, while someone who covers their wall in a chart of soccer fixtures for the coming season and fills in the league tables as the matches are played is not. Someone who wears a costume from Star Trek is a nerd, but someone who wears a football kit branded with their favourite player's name and number is not.

Once you start dressing up to go to conventions, you are a nerd beyond redemption.

Again, see the football kit comment. Why is it not acceptable to wear a Star Trek outfit to a convention but it is perfectly normal, apparently, to wear a sports kit just to stand in the terraces and cheer on your team while eating pies, swigging beer and hurling abuse at the other team and the ref?

[Jason Thompson]

A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.

Reminds me of something I saw explaining the difference between Trekkers and Trekkies in Star Trek fandom. Apparently:

Trekkers will go to a convention, see Patrick Stewart and ask him how it feels to be the lead in such an iconic show.

Trekkies will go to the same convention, see Captain Picard and ask him what it is like commanding the Federation flagship.

Trekkers will discuss the merits of the writing and performances in the episodes.

Trekkies will discuss the performance of the various ships and the merits of the political treaties between the Romulan Empire and the Federation.

Trekkers wonder what sex would be like in zero gravity.

Trekkies wonder what sex would be like.

[NEOWatcher]

...
Although I can't see why...
I agree with your MASH analogy. In fact, that was eluded to earlier.
Plus owning all of anything changes the picture if you put it in context of an entire collection. If I have all the ST among a collection of 100s of disks...no problem...if ST is all of my disks...it would be suspicious.
Now the sports analogy is a little different. For ST (and throw in many others like Star Wars and Lord of the rings), the topic of affection is fantasy and fiction. Participation and sharing always end up to be role playing and make believe.
For sports, the topic of affection is real life people and events. I guess you can say that hoping for a win can be fantasy, but it's still a possible outcome. Also, the participation and sharing can be done by doing the actual activity themselves.

[Tog_]

Owning every single episode of every single version of Star Trek sees you make significant strides towards being regarded as a nerd.

Although I can't see why. It's a bit rich that someone who owns every episode of Star Trek should be regarded as a nerd while someone who owns every episode of, say, M*A*S*H is not. It's still just collecting a TV series you enjoy. Someone who puts posters of Star Trek on their wall is a nerd, while someone who covers their wall in a chart of soccer fixtures for the coming season and fills in the league tables as the matches are played is not. Someone who wears a costume from Star Trek is a nerd, but someone who wears a football kit branded with their favourite player's name and number is not.

Once you start dressing up to go to conventions, you are a nerd beyond redemption.

Again, see the football kit comment. Why is it not acceptable to wear a Star Trek outfit to a convention but it is perfectly normal, apparently, to wear a sports kit just to stand in the terraces and cheer on your team while eating pies, swigging beer and hurling abuse at the other team and the ref?

By my definition, those are both geek behaviors. Here in the US, Baseball Geeks are incredibly common. Okay, I know what happened on Janus IV, and sometimes paraphrase a quote from it. That's the geek in me coming out. There are people that know, off the top of their heads, what the batting average of player X is, on away games, against right handed pitchers under natural lights and artificial turf, in stadiums over 2500 feet. Those are sports geeks.

One night, very late, on ESPN I saw a 1 hour show in the math and physics behind hitting a baseball. Those are sports nerds.

I'd like to come up with more of these, but you might be a Geek if...
You've ever used the phrase "Okay, but did you know..." in a debate.

There is a mock poster that I really like. "Fantasy Football is Dungeons and Dragons for the people the used to beat up the kids that played Dungeons and Dragons.":)

[antoniseb]

I think the stigma, if it exists, is based on the likelyhood that 'Star Trek' will come up in conversation with said person. People who aren't interested would rather not have it come up. I think most people lump such Trekkies in with people who spontaneously discuss Yu-Gi-Oh or Dungeons and Dragons.

Perfectly fine people can be fascinated by these subjects as long as they keep discussion of it out of ear-shot from people who don't care.

[Doodler]

On those times this comes up for me I usually make the qualifying statement:

"Yes, I like Star Trek, but I don't have plasic ears or a foam latex forhead."

I would like one of those knives Worf used near the end though...

Oh, and I think Owning the DVD's and going to the conventions is much more in Geek Territory than Nerd Territory. A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.;)

I'd settle for one of the 23rd century uniforms, with the wool sweaters. They didn't look right without them, when they popped up in the episode with the Enterprise-C. I'd need one about a 3/4 Scotty, please. :)

[captain swoop]

All sports, hobbies and such have geeks. I know a trek Geek, Star Wars Geek and a Ford Cosworth geek. Football geeks are the most common omes you meet in the Pub. I am a bit of a Motorbike, and Flying Jacket geek. I just don't assume that anyone else will have the remotest interest and try and bring it up in conversation.

[captain swoop]

Although Star trek and Star wars seems to attract the 'Uber Geeks'

[Nicholas_Bostaph]

For sports, the topic of affection is real life people and events. I guess you can say that hoping for a win can be fantasy, but it's still a possible outcome. Also, the participation and sharing can be done by doing the actual activity themselves.
I think the original analogy is much more valid than you're implying. How many tens of thousands of people can be in your average stadium at any given time? Of those tens of thousands of people, how many are actually playing the game? Further, how many of those tens of thousands actually personally know someone playing the game?

Most fans have no association with any of the players other than watching them perform certain actions governed by a predetermined set of rules. That sounds very similar to acting to me, though the rules (or script) is a bit more stringent there. I think this stands as a good analogy and good question. Why is a co-worker who wears a football jersey to work not considered in the same class as a co-worker in a starfleet uniform?






Perfectly fine people can be fascinated by these subjects as long as they keep discussion of it out of ear-shot from people who don't care.
But this happens with all subjects. In social situations people will tend to talk about things they are interested in and that they enjoy. How do you know if someone does not want to hear about your interest until you ask them? And wouldn't most people be more interested in, say, nature if they were talking to someone animated and involved like Steve Irwin rather than someone who just throws out a tidbit here and there seeming hardly interested themselves? So why is fascination with a given TV show a different matter? My guess has always been because it's stereotypically 'uncool', though that seems like a poor reason to treat the fans negatively to me.


* edit: corrected quote

[NEOWatcher]

I think the original analogy is much more valid than you're implying. ...
I'm not trying to dismiss the analogy, only that it is not a direct relationship. A fanatic is a fanatic whatever the subject is. It's just that with sports, results are not fictional or from a script. (that is if you ignore pro wrestling)

But this happens with all subjects. ...
I didn't say that, that was antoniseb ...I only accept CREDIT for other peoples statements not criticism. :razz:

[soylentgreen]

Although Star trek and Star wars seems to attract the 'Uber Geeks'

That makes me wonder....how come nobody ever talks about Unter Geeks? What are the parameters for that classification? ;)


ps If I own all the episodes of WAR AND PEACE IN THE NUCLEAR AGE...what does that make me? :think:

[NEOWatcher]

ps If I own all the episodes of WAR AND PEACE IN THE NUCLEAR AGE...what does that make me? :think:
Unique?

[nomuse]

I think you draw a fine line there. When it comes down to practicality, neither pro football nor most TV shows actually provide crops or generate energy; and furthermore, few people are in a position where knowing either the definition of batting average or the definition of warp speed helps them at their job or with raising their kids.

When you get down to it, both activities are media creations designed to attract audiences. Organized sports are more "real" only in that the money that passes through their affiliates and hanger's on is greater than that of even major motion pictures, and more people are involved in the family of sports than are involved in the family of science fiction activities.

The place where the "fiction" distinction does hold is that sports fanatics are generally fanatic about the players. SF fanatics are more likely to be fanatical about the roles their players portray.

As another distinction, sports are an intensely artificial activity; motions divorced almost entirely from any evolutionary or commonplace context. How a golfer swings tells us nothing at all about how to brain an antelope with a femur, or how to get lift a five-year-old into a car seat. On the other hand, art, if it has any pretension left in it, is about exploring or at least illustrating the human condition.

And yet, and yet... Sports is cross-cultural, even universal. SF, particularly the mass-media materials aimed directly at an American consumerist audience, is not. Even more so than your normal TV fare, SF targets for the educated, middle class; an audience with an existing bias towards science and fantasy alike, and a sort of horrified fascination of "the Other" which may come from an almost complete ignorance of any other cultural group. Which is to say; SF shares with too many other groups that are historically also monoculture.

But to revisit an earlier point. Sports is more penetrative in our society. It actually is practical to know sports, talk sports, be seen enjoying sports. Because, in the circular definition of such things, this is "normal" activity and it helps you demonstrate to your peer group, neighbors, and employers that you belong.

Perhaps some day we will take a page from other cultures, other times, where literature or poetry was the shared reference point.

(But we probably won't while mass-media properties like Star Trek continue. Although some of the stories, particularly in the earlier series, did involve universal questions, most of the show is more about the workings-out of its own internal mechanics. Especially later, it became far, far less a show that asked "What would happen if you were allowed to change history, but at a personal price?" to a show that asked "Can a Federation Transporter beam someone through the cloak on a Romulan warbird?" And, even more unfortunately, it is the latter materials that seem to engage the attention of most of the fandom.)

[Lianachan]

As another distinction, sports are an intensely artificial activity; motions divorced almost entirely from any evolutionary or commonplace context. How a golfer swings tells us nothing at all about how to brain an antelope with a femur, or how to get lift a five-year-old into a car seat.
This is not true of most sports that come under the banner of "athletics" - javellin, various running races, swimming, etc.. have obvious historical precedents/evolutionary usefulness.

[Moose]

Perfectly fine people can be fascinated by these subjects as long as they keep discussion of it out of ear-shot from people who don't care.

I see. Does this count for all discussions I'm subjected to under the heading of sports, clothes shopping, ATM physics, and the random gurgling sound their kid emitted that particular morning?

[slippery slope] Taking the token just a single step further, can we now no longer have discussions on any topic where an uninterested third party might overhear? Must we now remain totally silent in public? [/slippery slope]

What makes Trek so much different than any other topic that doesn't interest me?

Why is it sorta cool and somewhat acceptable to dress like Gap clones (or any other fashion trend), or paint up in your sports team colors, go to a costume party or participate in halloween, but not for Trek enthusiasts to cosplay at conventions once in a while?

Answering the OP, hoo yeah, there's definitely a stigma. You need only read pretty much any post at random within this (somewhat sympathetic) thread on the subject. The stigma exists and it's very nearly omnipresent. I'm just not sure the stigma is especially deserved.

Just sayin'.

[MrClean]

I don't think it's the average joe that has a stigma against Star Trek. I think its the average joe that has problems standing next to some middle age guy with a pair of Spock ears on.

Nanoo nanoo

[Gillianren]

Dressing up at a convention is one thing, and I'm perfectly okay with it. Dressing up at a trial because it's your "uniform just like any other"? That makes you beyond hope.

The two groups that worry me--and this would be true of any other interest factor--are the ones who don't know it's not real and the ones who don't have any other interests. Naturally, the groups do coincide a bit, but not totally. Just as I worry about people who think that the games they like are more important than anything else--you know, football and whatever. To me, it's not that it's Trek, it's that it's obsession, and obsessions are dangerous things.

Oh, and why Trek is considered over? Because the writing quality has been slipping for something like 20 years. I love Scott Bakula, and I couldn't watch more than half-a-dozen episodes of Enterprise.

[Tobin Dax]

A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.;)

Is that the Rigel in Orion, or Braga's "I thought the name was made up" Rigel from Enterprise's premiere? :D

[captain swoop]

Star trek finished with the Original Series. everything after that was just cashing in IMHO, like the last 5 Star Wars films, and the new Dr Who if you ask me.

These things should be allowed to come to a natural end instead of dragging the corpse out and dusting it off for a new generation to make some extra cash.

Do something new for goodness sake!

[Gillianren]

Can we get a mod to fix the thread title?

[davidlpf]

when I was at university several years ago there was a study room for astronomy and physics students. Some of the people did not like anybody talking about star trek because they thought girls were avoiding them because of this.

[Redtail]

Does anyone else believe this? Are people branded as geeks or nerds if they like Star Trek? Why is it that a lot of people believe that Star Trek is dead? Is it because they want it to go away? You don't hear them saying the same thing about the new Dr. Who show and it has been around probably longer than Trek. It is interesting to watch people's reactions when you mention that you are a Star Trek fan.


There is a stigma but IMO it because of the psyco/uber/ultra-nerd fans. I wasall state in football, wrestling, and track. But at the same time I was in the Drama Club and I played D&D. Some of my best buddies were Star Trek Nerds and I would defend them whenever the jocks would start picking on them. Then one day (It was during the summer between my Jr and Sr year) I'm with my Geek buddies playing D&D and some of them start up a conversation in Klingon. (Note: Maybe the reason Star Wars geeks aren't viewed the same way is that few if any speak Ewok or Wookie.) I say "what?" they smirk and say "Oh! Wittle baby needs us to expwain?" and I had to fight the urge to wedgie the blue heck outta them. Then 2 years later I'm working at Paramounts Carowinds as a Klingon, and everyday for the entire summer I hear at least 3 times a day in a voice very similar to "Comic Book Guy" on "The Simpsons" "Yeah Right! There are Klingons that short... In his dreams!" And since I couldn't just beat them, I would have to make sure they saw me with Tiz. (She was also a Klingon there and she was the Center of UNCC's Women's Baskeball team, 6'5" and fine as frog hair.) Bottom line Obnoxious is Obnoxious Jock, Prep,Geek, Nerd, etc...

[greenfeather]

A nerd may know how long it would take for the Enterprise to et from Capella to Rigel at warp 6, but a geek would try and use that knowledge to get a date.;)

With who? a female Trekkie?
I wonder the proportion of male to female "nerds" and "geeks".

What is the difference between a nerd and a geek? My daughter thinks I'm a nerd, and to her it's a compliment to be a nerd because it means "you are smart". But a "geek" or a "dork" is simply socially inept.

You can be both, of course.

[Tog_]

With who? a female Trekkie?
I wonder the proportion of male to female "nerds" and "geeks".

What is the difference between a nerd and a geek? My daughter thinks I'm a nerd, and to her it's a compliment to be a nerd because it means "you are smart". But a "geek" or a "dork" is simply socially inept.

You can be both, of course.

When I talk about this forum, I generally refer to it as the "Nerd Board". When I talk about the forums for City of Heroes (an online role playing game based on superheroes), I use "Geek Board".

To me a nerd is a person who will go out of their way to learn something just to gain the knowledge.

A Geek will go just as far to learn the exact same thing, but only to impress others with the knowledge.

A Dork is a person who thinks being a nerd or geek is cool, but doesn't bother to try learning anything.

As far as gender, in my Supergroup, we have at least 6 females that play regularly, ranging from 13 to 40. It's not a high percentage, but it shows there are a few around. I know of about another 10 just on my server.

There are nerd girls and geek girls out there, but you generally don't find them in bars on a Friday night.

[greenfeather]

Dressing up at a convention is one thing, and I'm perfectly okay with it. Dressing up at a trial because it's your "uniform just like any other"? That makes you beyond hope. Enterprise.

I'll tell you what worries me... people who learn and speak Klingon!

[greenfeather]

It actually is practical to know sports, talk sports, be seen enjoying sports. Because, in the circular definition of such things, this is "normal" activity and it helps you demonstrate to your peer group, neighbors, and employers that you belong.

Whether it's trek or fooball, it all goes back to that good old mammalian thing about "status", and "who belongs to the in-group and how high up are you in that in-group."

[Moose]

I'll tell you what worries me... people who learn and speak Klingon!

Great language for maintaining private discussions in public places, if you can keep from killing all of the filthy p'taqs around you.

I've been flirting with the idea of learning Elvish (or trying to). It has a nice soft sound to it, and the idea of swearing like an Elvish pirate (sort of a Firefly thing) has a certain appeal to it. :D

Even better, you can speak it in an airport and see how much trouble you can get into.

[ToSeek]

Can we get a mod to fix the thread title?

Yes. Somehow it hadn't even registered till you pointed it out.

[antoniseb]

What makes Trek so much different than any other topic that doesn't interest me?

Nothing really. There are people who don't like hanging around fans with impenetrable discussions of football, or details about people you don't know. These people are also socially missing the boat. People don't like getting left out of a conversation. It doesn't matter what the topic is, but there have been times and places where trekkies (including me) have gone on too long.

[captain swoop]

Continuity Freaks bug me more than anything else, people who will complain because in an episode of something 6 seasons ago a button was green that turned on the 'Whiffle Valve Servo' and in the episode last night it was yellow.

[Moose]

Nothing really. There are people who don't like hanging around fans with impenetrable discussions of football, or details about people you don't know. These people are also socially missing the boat.

Emphasis mine, but your pronoun isn't sufficiently clear. Are you referring to the fans who have impenetrable discussions or the people who don't like hanging around them when you say that they are "socially missing the boat"?

If you're referring to the folks who don't like hanging around the fans, then it would seem that the trek fans are getting it from both end of the stickma: considered socially defective for a) going on about trek, and b) avoiding situations where someone is going on about sports. (And simple observation shows that this is true regardless of what you'd meant by the paragraph I quoted.)

In the other sense, it aptly demonstrates the stigma. Enthusing about sports remains a lot more socially respectable than is enthusing about Trek. (Again true regardless...)

People don't like getting left out of a conversation. It doesn't matter what the topic is, but there have been times and places where trekkies (including me) have gone on too long.

Uh huh. But as you say, it doesn't matter what the topic is. Some people will do that. No reason to tar all trekkies as a group for what is the behavior of some.

[antoniseb]

it doesn't matter what the topic is. Some people will do that. No reason to tar all trekkies as a group for what is the behavior of some.

You can say the same about Sony Lithium-Ion batteries.

[Moose]

You can say the same about Sony Lithium-Ion batteries.

:lol: True, true, but trek fan flame wars are only figurative.

[Gillianren]

Yes. Somehow it hadn't even registered till you pointed it out.

Thank you. I know I can count on you for such trivia. (In its original meaning of "unimportant thing," not "meaningless factoid.")

As to nerd vs. geek, to me, "nerd" is liberal arts. "Geek" is science and math. However, I know of at least three different classification systems, including "there's no difference."

[SeanF]

As to nerd vs. geek, to me, "nerd" is liberal arts. "Geek" is science and math. However, I know of at least three different classification systems, including "there's no difference."
So, is arguing about the differences between "geeks" and "nerds" a sign of geekiness or nerdiness? ;)

[Tobin Dax]

Great language for maintaining private discussions in public places, if you can keep from killing all of the filthy p'taqs around you.

If only they would have spelled petaQ better, but it was Voyager.

[davidlpf]

Well one thing about sports fans is that some give trek or star wars fans a hard time or some think it makes them more manly for watching sports other than trek.

[Gillianren]

So, is arguing about the differences between "geeks" and "nerds" a sign of geekiness or nerdiness? ;)

Heh. Nerdiness--it's a sociology thing, and sociology is a liberal art. (It's also an English major thing, and that's definitely the liberal arts!)

[MG1962A]

Continuity Freaks bug me more than anything else, people who will complain because in an episode of something 6 seasons ago a button was green that turned on the 'Whiffle Valve Servo' and in the episode last night it was yellow.


A good friend of mine tried to write an instruction manual for the Liberator from Blakes 7.

As he explained by the fourth episode, it was obvious the actors were merely pressing buttons on the consols at random whenever the director yelled action

[Redtail]

Well one thing about sports fans is that some give trek or star wars fans a hard time or some think it makes them more manly for watching sports other than trek.


Ah but there are Star Trek and Star Wars fans that give Sports fans a hard time because they think they are smarter for watching Trek. (They just don't say it as loud... Unless they are speaking Klingon.) ;)

[Roy Batty]

A) I am still laughing at the original quote:

Continuity Freaks bug me more than anything else, people who will complain because in an episode of something 6 seasons ago a button was green that turned on the 'Whiffle Valve Servo' and in the episode last night it was yellow.
:)
A good friend of mine tried to write an instruction manual for the Liberator from Blakes 7.

As he explained by the fourth episode, it was obvious the actors were merely pressing buttons on the consols at random whenever the director yelled action
B) I can still hear the noises those controls made! :D

[publiusr]

Every fan has its own language. Continuity freaks are nothing compared to folks arguing about Fantasy football.

D&D for jocks.

[Tobin Dax]

Every fan has its own language. Continuity freaks are nothing compared to folks arguing about Fantasy football.

D&D for jocks.

Last January, while I was visiting home, I went with a couple friends to a Fantasy Baseball draft. Now that I think about it, my card game playing has been thoroughly justified. :)

[publiusr]

That's rich.

[Parrothead]

I did get a kick out of this ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcLxsrbmp9w). LOL!

ETA: This one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG59N3x551A) was good too.

[Tobin Dax]

I did get a kick out of this ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcLxsrbmp9w). LOL!

ETA: This one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG59N3x551A) was good too.

Those were good, especially the first one. I lost it when I saw the balloon animals. :lol::cool:

[Kebsis]

I liked the Star Trek with Pat Stewart pretty much. The one with Kirk was silly though.

I guess they were both pretty silly, which is probably where the stigma comes from, just because hardcore star trek fans seem to spend so much time obsessing over something that looks so silly.

Also, I dunno if I've ever met anyone who dresses up in a complete football uniform when they go to the games (or group together and paint letters from the teams name on all their stomachs), but generally they are viewed as pretty silly too. Maybe 'dork' isn't the right word for them but they are clearly insane also.

[captain swoop]

Does wearing a player shirt count? in the UK it's compulsory (more or less) to wear a players shirt when u go to a match. You have to have all 3. Home shirt, away and alternate away. for a premier team they run about £30 thats $60 each and they change the designs every season!

Then you have to have an England shirt, away and alternate away as well!

the thing is they are exactly the same spec as the players shirts, hologram 'tag' badge and every thing. stupid realy.

[davidlpf]

Ah but there are Star Trek and Star Wars fans that give Sports fans a hard time because they think they are smarter for watching Trek. (They just don't say it as loud... Unless they are speaking Klingon.) ;)
Well people can get a little if they do not know whats going on one time a played a game with 3 people from brazil and when they were losing they started speaking portugese and a got little nervous.
I do not speak klingon or dress as my favourite character or anything and I have had some bad experiences with people over the star trek thing or any other science fiction.