Dog and Pony Show
Could you give concrete examples?
“Love is the eternal law whereby the universe was created and is ruled.” — St. Bernard
For example, the sci-fi club at the school I just graduated from getting together yearly to dramatically recite the first chapter of the Fellowship of the Ring, and to celebrate (complete with non-lie (and non-lye) cake) Bilbo Baggins's 111th birthday.
(It's 111th, right? Or was it 101st or 110th?)
FWIW, they only call themselves the sci-fi club; they're more like the general geekery club. With the possible exceptions of...well, the two fields of geekery that I am personally more interested in, which are gaming (tabletop, board, card, and video) and animé.
Similarly, people love to tout their "geek cred" in the form of things like how many details they know about LOTR, Star Wars, Star Trek, and such.
Obviously, some people hide these things in front of non-geeks, but others display it proudly. I am just interested in the psychology behind this difference.
edited 23rd Sep '10 9:48:12 PM by GlennMagusHarvey
DUMB
Why do geeks (that is, people who perform geeky activities) perform geeky activities? Uh
[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.
No longer a forum herald
Define geeky activities.
(In before someone one says editing TV Tropes...) 
I specifically mentioned stereotypically geeky activities.
Editing TV Tropes isn't yet a stereotype, for better or worse.
Maybe it's out of Insult Backfire. They're so used to being picked on for being geeks... or seeing others be picked on for being geeks... that they feel the best way to defy this is to act like "geeks."
Not sure if playing into these stereotypes is the best way to combat this though.
Also known as Katz
There are plenty of things that are points of pride amongst geeks that aren't really stereotypes. For instance, many geeks are Wil Wheaton fans, but that isn't a stereotype, because outside of geek culture most people don't even know who he is.
And then there are ways that geeks are often outright at variance with the stereotypes. Think how the appearance of a stereotypical geek (pocket protector, large-frame glasses) varies from the appearance of a real geek (XKCD T-shirt, small-frame glasses).
So I think your question, like many questions that begin with "How" or "Why" is fundamentally misguided.
I see the Awesomeness.
Can you confirm that the only or primary reason they enjoy the habit is because it's stereotypical?
Fight smart, not fair.
Actually, I doubt the reason is usually that.
Because in my GURPS game I got to give an Aztec god a purple nurple with a hand vacuum.
SHIT YEAH GEEKY ACTIVITIES.
Jesus as in Revelations
So we have N Word Priviledges? What's next, if one of us becomes a CEO and makes tons of money and joins the bourgeoisie and gets a prominent political position we'll call him a class traitor and a sellout?
'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
Not here, look elsewhere
For the same reason motorheads do stereotypical motorheady things.
They love what it is they do for the subject is their passion, and they don't care who knows it.
An useless name, a forsaken connection.
Open question.
Why do jocks enjoy following stereotypes of jocks? Even when some of these stereotypes are viewed negatively by non-jocks?
Unless you're saying that geeks do stereotypically geeky things because they're stereotypically geeky things or something like that, the only thing you're really saying is that these stereotypes are based on reality.
And that's how I ended up in the wardrobe. It Just Bugs Me!
For the same reason motorheads do stereotypical motorheady things.
They love what it is they do for the subject is their passion, and they don't care who knows it.
I think we have our answer.
And Smokie's post fails in comparison to the answer.
Oh My
On Bilbo's birthday: Yes it was his 111th birthday. It was also Frodo's 33rd and combined their age was one gross which was also the amount of people who were invited; 144.
If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
Also known as Katz
Right—it's the same reason sports fans may actually buy foam fingers, parents may actually put "my child is an honor student" bumper stickers on their minivans, and girlie girls may actually want everything to be pink.
Simple answer: because geeky stuff is fun.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
Because they enjoy their activity. Plain and simple. Why do I like studying warfare and weapons despite how nasty war is? because it is also fascinating and I enjoy the study.
Hey I had fun with my microscope and tinkering when I was younger.
Some geeks can march. Marching Band Geeks come to mind. Also military geeks. :P
Give me a week Ill get them in step. >:D
Who watches the watchmen?
Why is an apple an apple and not an orange. Well, if it was an orange, it wouldn't be an apple now would it?
But honestly, I'd say it's partially labeling theory.
OMG NO NOSECONES
...Just as long as you don't use the goofy Marine-version of calling commands, Tuefel, and I'll try to do my best at a counter-coulmn.
Marching band for the win.
Yes, I own an 8-bit tie from Thinkgeek. Since I'm in my thirties, I couldn't give a flip about what most other people think of me.
Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
Same reason yuppies do stereotypically yuppie things and jocks do stereotypically jocky things: group identification.
I will keep my soul in a place out of sight, Far off, where the pulse of it is not heard.
Same reason yuppies do stereotypically yuppie things and jocks do stereotypically jocky things: group identification. And I guess that's the second reason.
Open question.
Why do geeks enjoy following stereotypes of geeks? Even when some of these stereotypes are viewed negatively by non-geeks?