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Posted: |
Sep 20, 2005 - 11:11 AM
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By: |
Moonie
(Member)
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I'm ressurecting this thread because I would like people to define the word "nerd" for me. What do you put into it, and how do you place yourself according to that definition?
Well my definition is , example: When you
think of Star Trek nerds they are people who think, eat , sleep, talk like , etc.
Now do you think, eat , sleep , talk about all the time, movie scores?
sd 
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This is the definition of the word "nerd" according to Wikipedia. Needless to say, not many of us would admit to be a nerd under these circumstances.
The term "nerd", meaning "square" goes back at least to 1951, when Newsweek reported the usage as relatively new in Detroit. By the 1960s, it took on conotations of bookishness as well as social ineptitude. The word itself first appeared in Dr. Seuss's book If I Ran the Zoo, published in 1950, where it simply names one of Seuss's many comical imaginary animals.
The stereotypical nerd image as seen in the mass media and cartoons equates to a young man wearing thick black eyeglasses (preferably broken and taped up with electrical tape), pocket protectors, high-water pants and dress shirts or clothes generally too formal for the circumstances. Sometimes the stereotype lacks personal hygiene skills, and he will typically appear either very skinny or extremely fat. Stereotypical nerds usually lack social graces and the ability to perform social interaction, except on technical topics.
Honestly, I think we're "geeks":
A geek is a person who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, by obscure or very specific areas of knowledge and imagination.
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Labels are like insults.
More acceptable if coming from friends.
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I started out a nerd, and ended up a geek. That transition entails getting laid, having outside interests, taking care of your physical appearance and being able to somewhat socialize with people. Other than that, it's completely ok to be obsessed with film scores, pinball, blu rays and other pop culture ephemera. Just as long as you get out of the basement once in a while- which hopefully isn't full of womens' bodies or ammunition.
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Posted: |
Oct 1, 2008 - 5:34 PM
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By: |
simplyjosh
(Member)
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Well, you know what they say: the difference between nerds & geeks is that geeks get things done. 
But anyway, as others have already mentioned, I think most people are geeks about something. I guess my definition of "geek" is someone who is more passionate about a particular area of interest than most people are. I don't think the term is particularly negative in today's usage.
"Nerd," on the other hand, seems to carry with it a definite negativity. I'd classify nerds as people who are so absorbed in a particular area of interest that it renders them socially impaired or even inept.
Geeks might be really "into" a certain thing, like film scores or rock collecting or whatever, but they also have other interests and can easily engage in other activities and conversations with people.
Having said that, there are certain areas of interest that you can be really into without being considered a geek. Classic example: I'm a big pro football fan (Go Niners!) and love to keep track of my team and what's going on around the league, but no one would ever call me a geek for that. The same thing probably applies with graphic design / digital art, which is another of my passions and also happens to be my area of expertise.
So I guess I'm about 50% geek. Maybe 55%. 
Good topic, by the way.
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Look in a mirror, and ask yourself, "Am I a nerd?"
Then YOU figure it out.
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Yes.
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