neophilia

/nee"oh-fil"-ee-*/ The trait of being excited and pleased by

novelty. Common among most hackers, SF fans, and members of

several other connected leading-edge subcultures, including

the pro-technology "Whole Earth" wing of the ecology movement,

space activists, many members of Mensa, and the

Discordian/neo-pagan underground. All these groups overlap

heavily and (where evidence is available) seem to share

characteristic hacker tropisms for science fiction, music,

and oriental food. The opposite tendency is "neophobia".

[Jargon File]

(1999-06-04)