the Definition of a nerd/geek

endnow

endnow

[09] Warrior
Ok so today at Tafe me and my friends were having this argument that was nothing short of epic about what classifies someone as a nerd. The argument was predominantly between myself and another friend both of which think the other is a nerd. Said friend of mine went to Barcelona and played FIFA09 for Australia and he argues that "being good at games doesent make you a nerd". He also argues that posting on forums for game is quiet nerdy... it was actually quiet a collossal stalemate that we reached!

Anyway the discussion went on with the rest of the group and their were even arguments over the difference between a nerd and a geek. The genral impression was that many different things can make up a nerd and that a nerd is not nessisarily socially inadequate however a geek is. I would however like to pointout that I dont have a problem with being labelled a nerd. At any rate the whole group could not agree on most of our discussion points and I still maintain that my freind is a nerd. What do you guys think?

Todays purley anecdotal experience aside and as a more genral question. What do you guys think makes a nerd? Do you think we are all nerds for posting on a forum site and aspiring to be better at games? Does being good at games make you a nerd?
 
Geek is a term used in programming community to describe people with in-depth technical knowledge about computers. It is in general a compliment to be called a geek in this technical sense. Outside, it generally means anyone who is obsessed with weird things. This definition is pretty much synonymous with that of a nerd which is used to describe people that are obsessed with primarily "anti-social" hobbies.

Whatever the case, arguments over definitions don't really go anywhere and are in fact pointless.
 
As iKotomo stated... a geek is a person with in-depth technical knowledge about systems. I take pride when people call me a geek... A nerd however is NOT a good term. A nerd would probably be the english equivalent of the japanese otaku. It is NOT a complement. It is an insult used to describe someone who has a fanatical interest in something or other.
 
iKotomi said:
Whatever the case, arguments over definitions don't really go anywhere and are in fact pointless.
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thanks for your reply mate but I dont think the argument is totally pointless. I think its interesting to find out what different people classify as a 'nerd'. I didnt start this thread to reach any grand colclusions but that doesent nessisarily mean its a pointless disscussion.

Jaxel Whats your 'definition' of a nerd though? Are you saying its simply an insult?

Also me and my friend need some closure. Does being very good at a game make you a nerd? Jaxel, OFFMATIC ect dont answer that one :P
 
I think that a nerd/geek is no different from a jock and a goth...

Nerd, geek, and any other names are just words which are used by people to classes them into specific social groups... to me a nerd is someone who is engrosed in something so much that they don't realize other things that may happen around them, while a geek is pretty much the same thing but a little more lax and gets more of the whole picture... but a gamer that is something else, where I live you could either be a nerd, geek, and myself and my friends are the stereotypical gamer... playing, talking, and wearing gaming stuff ( I wear the SC 4 shirt sometimes)

When you talk about posting on forums I don't think you could be classed as a nerd because techniacally in my standards you are communicating to other people and asking for advice and I guess that could be classed as a geek because you are being socially active with other people

And I think that being good at games does not class you as a nerd just a gamer

yeah I don't think this helped that much...too late
 
endnow said:
Jaxel Whats your 'definition' of a nerd though? Are you saying its simply an insult?
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I dont see a reason to... I think I summed it up pretty well...

Geek = someone with in-depth technical knowledge of one subject or another... ANY subject. Computer geek, car geek, gun geek, military geek, sports geek, etc. All that matters is that this person has deep technical expertise where others dont.

Nerd = someone who has a fanatical obsession to one subject or another... ANY subject. Computer nerds, car nerds, gun nards, military nerds, sports nerds, etc. All that matters is that this person is obsessed with something to an unnatural degree.

Just because you are a geek, doesn't mean you are a nerd; you can know something inside and out without being obsessed with it. And just because you are a nerd, doesn't mean you are a geek; you can be obsessed with something, but not know how it works.
 
ANYONE visiting or posting on ANY gamer site is default nerd and/or geek.

doesn't mean they're not cool.
 
endnow said:
lol So 8wayrun is full of SC geeks. But not so many nerds?
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Not necessarily... if you are a scrub, then you may not have in-depth technical knowledge of the system.

T_T said:
ANYONE visiting or posting on ANY gamer site is default nerd and/or geek.

doesn't mean they're not cool.
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Disagree. The internet is the new "watercooler" situation. In the older days, people would watch a TV show or movie, and then talk about it at the watercooler at work. This did not make them nerds or geeks, just fans of the show or movie. The internet has become this new "watercooler" area, as people come to forums to talk. Being a fan and have a fanatical obsession are two different things.
 
IN MY OPINION a nerd is the following... (Note: Not all nerds all have exact the same characteristics. It depends on the level of nerdiness I guess? lol)

1. Don't have the best social skills when talking to people face to face.
2. Clumsy/Arkward at times.
3. No fashion style. No swagger.
4. Usually has glasses, but doesn't wear it 24/7.
5. Doesn't care about sports. Knows very little about sports. Suck at sports.
6. Usually very skinny or very fat. Never really fit.
7. Knows stuff about Star Wars or Star Trek.
8. Enjoys anti-social hobbies like gaming, surfing the web, reading a book much more than being out.
9. Usually good at school subjects like Math, Sciences, Technology.
10. Still a virgin if not married.
11. They are usually good people.

This is just my observation throughout high school and so forth when I interact with different people.

More importantly..., are some people just born with certain traits that makes them a nerd? Like what I am saying is that even if lets say a child was rise up with parents that love to go out, enjoy sports etc. (none nerd activities) and stuff will that affect that child and make him less likely to be a nerd when he grows up or are some people just born nerds and can't change that? I always wondered that...
 
it's like being called a bitch or a pussy.

either way, it's mean't to have a derogatory connotation.

lesbo or gay

asshole or dickhead

nerd or geek

just gotta try to be as politically correct about it as wished
 
I don't believe a nerd is an insult in every context anyway.

Just being called a nerd doesn't mean anything other than what the person calling you has intended for it to mean, whether it's an insult or just general statement
 
LORD_NIGHTMARE said:
3. No fashion style. No swagger.
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Charisma is one thing, but it's rare to find ANYONE with true swagger nowadays. There are plenty of people who think they have swagger, however. They are called douchebags. You can identify douchebags by their fauxhawks, collection of Dane Cook DVDs, and heavy application of AXE body spray.
 
in the uk id say we class nerd/geek as the same thing, and it is used as an insult. mainly a schoolyard term for anyone who does well in academics and doesnt care much for climbing the social ladder.
 
Freaky-Styley said:
Charisma is one thing, but it's rare to find ANYONE with true swagger nowadays. There are plenty of people who think they have swagger, however. They are called douchebags. You can identify douchebags by their fauxhawks, collection of Dane Cook DVDs, and heavy application of AXE body spray.
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My collection of Dane Cook DVD's and my multitude of Axe canisters does not give me "swagger" WTF!?!?!?!
EFFF YOU!!!! I GOTS THA SWAG YO!!!!
 
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