I believe the global economy crashed around the late 1990s when everyone in the entire world realized they Gotta catch them all. Nintendo released the first Pokemon game for the Game Boy in 1996 for Japan and 1998 for North America in an attempt to conquer the world. And they have almost succeeded. The Pokemon franchise is second only to Mario in sales of games and has expanded to almost every conceivable medium from anime to comics to card games to fanny packs and underwear. The games themselves foster a completist’s frenzy as gamers are charged with finding all the Pokemon hidden in the world. The original game had 151 Pokemon to collect, but you needed two versions of the game to find them all. The recent Pokemon Pearl and Diamond have upped that number to 493 Pokemon with different genders and colors, allowing for hundreds more to collect resulting in mass absences from elementary schools. Gotta catch them all.

There are many factions within the geek community, most viciously opposing and plot the death of other factions. Just try to get a Star Trek fan to agree with a Star Wars fan on anything. The truth is there is a hierarchy of geeks, and geeks in higher parts of that hierarchy are well in their power to look down on those lower in the hierarchy, the same way jocks and cheerleaders look down on all geeks. This list ranks the geekiest of geek hobbies in, well, order of geekiness. Enjoy one of these doesn’t make you a bad person. Just really, really geeky.

7. Star Wars geek

When it comes to sci-fi geekdom, Star Wars wins. It’s just huge, with every comic book, novel, action figure, and video game to collect, memorize, and horde. No other single franchise can match this insanity.

How to know if you are one: You have read anything Star Wars related outside of the 6 movies

Wastes money on: Anything Star Wars related outside of the 6 movies

6. Anime

Pokemon has helped turn anime into a less embarrassing hobby, as long as you are younger than 12. Once you his puberty, it’s time to hide those big-eyed cartoons and start watching South Park. But some geeks can’t break the habit. They just love the speed lines.

How to know if you are one: You understand anime

Wastes money on: Subtitle software and Japanese lessons

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I believe the global economy crashed around the late 1990s when everyone in the entire world realized they Gotta catch ‘em all.  Nintendo released the first Pokemon game for the Game Boy in 1996 for Japan and 1998 for North America in an attempt to conquer the world.  And they have almost succeeded.  The Pokemon franchise is second only to Mario in sales of games and has expanded to almost every conceivable medium from anime to comics to card games to fanny packs and underwear.  The games themselves foster a completist’s frenzy as gamers are charged with finding all the Pokemon hidden in the world.  The original game had 151 Pokemon to collect, but you needed two versions of the game to find them all.  The recent Pokemon Pearl and Diamond have upped that number to 493 Pokemon with different genders and colors, allowing for hundreds more to collect resulting in mass absences from elementary schools.  Gotta catch ‘em all.