There's Geek and then there's GEEEEEK!

I'm currently trying not to listen to a protracted discussion in the next cube of the nuances of online role-playing games. I think it's WoW. Considering I'm quite geekly inclined, I have surprisingly little patience for such things.

Examples of said conversation:

"I'm a level 76 warlock, and then my other characters include demented dwarf, agro warlord..."
"My daughter named my character Hera and I get a lot of compliments on it..."

I try to recognize my revulsion for such things as narrow minded. I'm self-aware enough to know that something is not of low value just because I don't care for it, but my inner voice screams "Dang these people are losers!" This is extremely hypocritical of me considering I actually participate in a live-action role playing game with my lover and a group of friends. It's kind of like turning your nose up at someone playing online solitaire when you use a real deck of cards.

Honestly though I do worry about a society that allows whoever can afford it the opportunity to create a whole society for themselves with no actual human interaction, social lessons or peer modeling. The cube neighbor that is going on about gaming appeared unbidden in my cube yesterday as I was playing a clip of Pavarotti for a co-worker. He mumbled something about "Too bad it wasn't Barbra Streisand who died. I hate her music." We both stared at him blankly until he shuffled away.

My question is this: Do online role-playing games cause people to be less socially savvy or do they just give that population something to do and talk about?