How D&D Conquered the World

If you're a little geeky you might be aware of (or still mourning) the recent death of Gary Gygax, the creator of supremely nerdy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons.

Wired editor Adam Rogers explains how D&D shaped the young minds of socially impaired kids everywhere, giving them the training and confidence to eventually take over today's wired world - especially since D&D's influence is everywhere from World of Warcraft, to the prevalence of intricate pseudoscientific TV shows like Lost, to the virtual co-opting of socialization through Facebook.

I don't think I was ever secure enough in my nerdiness to know what D&D was all about, but this is pretty interesting - and might go a ways in explaining why people in PAC lab get so raucous over this weird online game when it's the last day before spring break and I just want to finish my midterm papers.

Full article here: Geek Love, and an entertaining graphic about the wonders that early exposure to D&D can do.