I just finished reading Wil Wheaton*s Just A Geek, and I*m impressed as hell by the honesty contained there and the quality of the writing. I found myself very engaged in what Wheaton had to say, and the fact that this book about “one man*s journey to find himself” really WAS about one man*s journey to find himself. I write, at least a little bit, but I find it difficult to share much of what I*ve done with an audience. In some ways, I wonder if that*s the real sign of maturity, the Lesson To Be Learned(tm) here – that when we really are comfortable with ourselves, we can present who we are and the mistakes we*ve made without justifying them. I think it*s a compliment (though it really doesn*t sound that way at first blush) to say that there were times in reading Just A Geek when I thought, “Jesus, that Wheaton guy is a fucking asshole.”
Because he is, you see, a fucking asshole. He*s also a wonderful writer, an insecure geek, someone who takes pride in his relationship with his wife and stepchildren, an awkward fan who can*t pick up the phone to call people he considers friends, a man who*s battled his demons and decided that many of them were self-imposed and maybe even imagined (really, aren*t the worst demons often that way?).
In short, Wil Wheaton is like Zaphod Beeblebrox. He*s “just this guy, you know?” He*s like Zaphod and he*s like you and he*s like me, too. Just this guy, and just a geek, and smart enough to know that being called “just” that is no pejorative.
Nicely done, Wil. Nicely done indeed.
