/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)