I am a self-confessed geek. Always have been, always will be. I love comic books, Marvel, DC, I collect POP figures and Buffy was my hero. And I'm not alone. The geeky masses have been on the steady incline for some time now, building pace thanks to the explosion of comic book movies and TV shows in recent years. I'm already giddy with excitement for the 2016 film releases, with the likes of Deadpool, Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman etc. to look forward to. It really is cool to be Geek these days. That hasn't always been the case (and still frequently isn't), with anyone being slightly alternative to mainstream seeming easy pickings for more conventional folk.
Earlier this year I discovered Den of Geek, a website dedicated to all things geek, providing reviews, updates on film and TV show progress, book reviews and what's up-and-coming in Geek-dom among other things. I love it's good-natured humour, and it allows me to truly indulge my geek side. I enjoy nothing more than paying a visit to the site each day to see what they're talking about. But what has really hit a chord with me is their Geeks v Loneliness page. The team at DoG have begun a series of articles tackling a variety of problems, from online bullying to facing depression. Today's latest offering is simply about the benefits of taking time out of your day to just say hello to someone, be it friend or stranger, and the positive impact this one little word can have on somebody's day. They've actively encouraged everyone who reads it to pop up in the comments and say hello to each other. And it's worked beautifully.
It's observations such as this that really highlight the good heart of this site and all those involved in it, readers included. Many a conversation has been struck up between DoG fans, offering advice, support, or just a listening ear. There's a genuine sense that you're surrounded by good people who give 2 figs about whether or not you are ok. That might seem strange. This is, after all, an impersonal internet site, no physical interaction and often no accurate name or photo on the profiles of the people who visit. But as stated in today's article, it takes human beings to put those words onto the screen. Many have commented about how these articles and attached comments sections have helped them through their day. That's no mean feat, and really should be commended. It makes me feel proud to be part of that community, and of my geek status.
Check out the site at http://www.denofgeek.com/.
Earlier this year I discovered Den of Geek, a website dedicated to all things geek, providing reviews, updates on film and TV show progress, book reviews and what's up-and-coming in Geek-dom among other things. I love it's good-natured humour, and it allows me to truly indulge my geek side. I enjoy nothing more than paying a visit to the site each day to see what they're talking about. But what has really hit a chord with me is their Geeks v Loneliness page. The team at DoG have begun a series of articles tackling a variety of problems, from online bullying to facing depression. Today's latest offering is simply about the benefits of taking time out of your day to just say hello to someone, be it friend or stranger, and the positive impact this one little word can have on somebody's day. They've actively encouraged everyone who reads it to pop up in the comments and say hello to each other. And it's worked beautifully.
It's observations such as this that really highlight the good heart of this site and all those involved in it, readers included. Many a conversation has been struck up between DoG fans, offering advice, support, or just a listening ear. There's a genuine sense that you're surrounded by good people who give 2 figs about whether or not you are ok. That might seem strange. This is, after all, an impersonal internet site, no physical interaction and often no accurate name or photo on the profiles of the people who visit. But as stated in today's article, it takes human beings to put those words onto the screen. Many have commented about how these articles and attached comments sections have helped them through their day. That's no mean feat, and really should be commended. It makes me feel proud to be part of that community, and of my geek status.
Check out the site at http://www.denofgeek.com/.
I'm a fellow geek :) Sci-fi / fantasy / horror TV, films and books, comics, computer games, in the past D&D and other role playing games. Wish I could still play them but alas, no group any more. Discovered DoG a few years ago, and I've contributed to the excellent Geeks vs Loneliness feature before. I'm a little upset though because I use an AdBlocker and just recently (past 3 weeks or so) the Disqus comments are now being blocked by my AdBlock, meaning I have to switch it off and suffer extremely annoying, in your face ads if I want to contribute to the site. I have written to them about it and hope it can be solved. It is probably my favourite play on the Internet.
ReplyDelete*place, not play :)
DeleteI read your contribution Rod, it's brilliant. I love how much they invest in their readers. There are so many people out there who rely on online communication as their primary source of human contact. DoG feels like a really safe place to meet with people and have discussions, and, as Geeks v Loneliness has provided, be there to support one another.
DeleteThe pop-ups are very annoying, I've noticed that a lot of people have commented. Hopefully they'll sort it out soon!