Geek Poll

[batskeets]

I realize that I'm surveying an audience that skews very tech-savvy and geeky, but, I simply must pose this question:

In a recent conversation with a person in my age group, the topic of Halloween came up, and I stated that I would like to dress up as, "a fire flower from Super Mario Brothers," and I was met with a quizzical look.

This individual had no idea what I was talking about. I had to explain how coin boxes work. The phrases, "there are these metal boxes, and he hits them with his head," and, "after he gets the mushroom that turns him into Super Mario, instead of Tiny Wimpy Dies-Instantly Mario..." actually passed through my lips.

Now, I do realize that a lot of people are not gamers. Even I, myself, am far from being a hardcore gamer. But, I'm fairly flabbergasted that anyone who is even tangentially aware of popular culture would not have at least a basic understanding of how a Mario game works!

Question: Is this as unbelievable as I think it is? Y/N

Comments

[phasmaphobic.livejournal.com]

Tell this individual that Vader is Luke's father, and see what happens.

[dawningday.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think so. Anyone in our age group who doesn't understand the basic mechanics of a Super Mario Bros. game is pretty far out of the loop.

[kaptian.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I'm met with the same reaction when I point out that a "generic" sound effect in a movie for a video game is from Jungle Hunt on the Atari... So, not a surprise exactly, but sheesh, you'd think Super Mario Brothers is plainly enough in pop culture to be known by anyone in the 20-40 age range.

Don't let that make you question the costume idea though.

[freyis.livejournal.com]

I'd be surprised too if anyone in our age group had that reaction. Even if they didn't play it themselves, they've surely encountered those who have, or seen it mentioned places before, I'd hope. Even my Mom knows this stuff, and she doesn't play or enjoy video games.

[anywhereanyone.livejournal.com]

Miao Yin: I don't belong to you.

Lo Pan: You don't. You belong to Ching Dai. I must sacrifice you. But I love you and I need you.

Miao Yin: No!

Lo Pan: Here take her. Take the bitch!

[archmage.livejournal.com]

Odd, yeah, but not unbelievable.

[ghost-girl.livejournal.com]

I suspect it's one of those terrible things that's going to start creeping in as we get older.
When people interview here, they eat lunch after the interview in our kitchen, so I chatted with this one kid for a bit and at one point Matt and I made a Thundercats joke, and the kid looked at us blankly. We went through all of them - GI Joe, Jem, Thundercats...nothing. He vaguely remembered Power Rangers, and remembered Batman the Animated Series from when he was a real little kid. sigh.

::is old, curls up in blanket::

[skeets.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, though: this person is slightly older than I am, so it's clearly not an issue of being too young to remember!

[monkeyhole.livejournal.com]

Even my dad knows what a fire flower is, and he still thinks Pong is a fad.

[n0tqu1tesane.livejournal.com]

Yes. Mario is almost universal among people who grew up in the 80s and 90s. My wife, who is just about as far from a gamer as possible loves Mario, and we regularly play Mario 3 together.

[sarapada.livejournal.com]

Given that just this week my hairdresser used the analogy of a power-up to describe a treatment he wanted to give my hair, I am taken aback by this person's ignorance. It'd be one thing if he knew a little bit about Mario, but somehow escaped that particular facet of the game, or if he didn't recognize the phrase "fire flower" but called it something different... but the situation you described is BANANAS to me.

[madeofmeat.livejournal.com]

Yes. Very unusual.

I will reiterate that you will get people trying to, or will at least sense folks suppressing the desire to, envelope/absorb you to gain power.

These will be selfish, megalomaniacal acts, but they could be socially interpreted as "hugs," and hugs are nice. So I guess you'll be fine. :)

[mycologynerd.livejournal.com]

Yes!

[kelaar.livejournal.com]

I think it's pretty unbelievable. I could see him not knowing if he was <24 or >40, but not ~30 as it sounds like he is.

[randvek.livejournal.com]

Y.

I think a lot of parents, of people our age would have a good grasp on this.

[katlyn.livejournal.com]

Meh. I pretty well have no idea of how a Mario game works. When I saw your Halloween costume idea, I was sort of like... "Why would anyone dress up as that?'

But that's the beauty of it; you get to be whatever you want.

[katlyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, so, to answer the question: no it's not unbelievable, yes, it is out of the ordinary. Didn't mean to potentially come off as snarky.

[helloandie.livejournal.com]

oh my god YES!! even NON-geeks know mario, dude. my PARENTS know mario. my KIDS know mario. i guess there are some people who might have *cough*lives*cough* who don't know mario, but i haven't met any of them. XD