NationStates Jolt Archive

From Dictionary.com

n.

1.
1. A person regarded as foolish, inept, or clumsy.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.
2. A carnival performer whose show consists of bizarre acts, such as biting the head off a live chicken.

tr.v. geeked, geek·ing, geeks
To excite emotionally: I'm geeked about that new video game.






Not to be confused with Nerd. A geek does not have to be smart, a Geek is someone who is generaly not athletic, and enjoys Video Games; Comic Books; being on the internet, and etc.
Only a geek would waste their time on the internet, defining geek on urbandictionary.com

So NSG! Do you define yourself as a geek? I go with the urban dictionary description and I have to say I am a Geek and Proud. Now I need to get ready and go to a LAN party.

See my sig.

So NSG! Do you define yourself as a geek?

No. I'm a nerd.

Not to be confused with Nerd. A geek does not have to be smart, a Geek is someone who is generaly not athletic, and enjoys Video Games; Comic Books; being on the internet, and etc.


Well I'm fairly athletic, but I do enjoy the good video game. I also spend time on the internet, although pretty much solely for NSG and Facebook.

I'm posting on a board where people pretend to be leading their own nation. Is this a trick question?

Yes. It is decidedly so.

I'm posting on a board where people pretend to be leading their own nation. Is this a trick question?

[/thread] :hail:

no, my parents aren't ashamed of me

Much more of a nerd than a geek.

no.

are there any old lady geeks?

I fit the third definition. :)

Yup, I'm very much a geek - not only do I play video games, post on the internet but I also doing roleplaying, live-action roleplaying and read comic books. I am one of those rare breed of Geekettes and pround of it.

I'm also a nerd.

are there any old lady geeks?

depends, how many womens knitting mags do you read?:p

depends, how many womens knitting mags do you read?:p
are we talking READ--like in the checkout line at walmart or READ as in subscribe to?

Nope, I'm a nerd.

I am, by all technical definitions, a wonk. :)

Not exactly. Nerds and geeks have become, rather than mere lonely social outcasts with unusual interests (as they were in the 70s and 80s), a whole demographic. There are enough of them now that they are no longer social outcasts, except by choice, and their interests (even things like sci-fi and roleplaying) are rapidly becoming mainstream.

I'm more of a geek's geek. I neither know nor care about video games, can't play D&D, and have very little interest in most of the traditionally geeky topics. Thus, while they're the closest social demographic to mine (usually heavily introverted and with a few specific interests), I never really interact with them because we have very little in common otherwise. Or maybe I never interact with them because they think I'm an asshole. Not sure.

So NSG! Do you define yourself as a geek? I go with the urban dictionary description and I have to say I am a Geek and Proud. Now I need to get ready and go to a LAN party.


No, I'm bookish and serious, much more of an old-school nerd.

I used to be a geek/nerd before it became "cool". For quite a few years already I refer to myself as "computer snob".

nerdy, don't have a high degree of technical expertise though.

Only if you use the definition "clumsy". I don't think that has anything to do with being geeky, though, I think it has to do with a total lack of spatial awareness and a propensity for moving at high speeds without considering the topography of my immediate environment. Also my house has way too many door jambs.

I would say I'm decidedly nerdy, however.

I don't possess the follow-through to be a geek or nerd, even if it is a hobby, game, TV show, or whatever that sounds really interesting at first. I'm more of a Cloudcuckoolander (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Cloudcuckoolander).

What the difference between nerds and geeks again?

I'm too cynical, hard-drinking and profane to be a true geek...that makes me an accountant instead.

Of course, and I have survived 6 years of my wife attempting to un-geek me. Not only survived, but thrived AND have started passing it on to my son who dances to the theme songs of Star Trek and Doctor Who.

So NSG! Do you define yourself as a geek? I go with the urban dictionary description and I have to say I am a Geek and Proud. Now I need to get ready and go to a LAN party.

This is the problem with dictionaries providing definitions based how people use words. If enough people use the word incorrectly then that becomes the new meaning. It's wikeality

A geek used to be a a carnival performer who did weird and/or disgusting things for shock value. As opposed to a freak who had a deformity that made them a physical oddity.

This meaning of geek then carried over to people whose unusual personal habits made them outcasts. Kids who wear the same clothes every day, pick their nose, or put ketchup in their chocolate milk.

Nerd was supposed to be people whose unusual hobbies made it difficult for them to relate to their peers. Those who spend their time reading comic books, playing chess, or dismantling machines.

But then people just started using the same words for both so that the dictionary defines one word as meaning both someone who is foolish and someone who is intelligent. Granted I'm over simplifying, but the two definitions are really at odds with each other.

Dictionaries need to be a little less linguistic mirror and a little more instructional.

Not to be confused with Nerd. A geek does not have to be smart, a Geek is someone who is generally not athletic, and enjoys Video Games; Comic Books; being on the internet, and etc.
Only a geek would waste their time on the internet, defining geek on urbandictionary.com

Who the hell doesn't play video games, or go on the internet, nowadays. Only poor people and dinosaurs, that's who.

I do like my graphic novels though, but I do go to the gym...

so I dunno.

I do like my graphic novels though, but I do go to the gym...

so I dunno.

I guess anybody with extremely dedicated interests in one area could be considered a "geek".

.. I always considered Geeks as the smart socially inept ones. I figured nerds as being socially inept plus not smart.

Learn something new ...

I don't possess the follow-through to be a geek or nerd, even if it is a hobby, game, TV show, or whatever that sounds really interesting at first. I'm more of a Cloudcuckoolander (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Cloudcuckoolander).

If we're using TVTropes definition, I'd fall under "Deadpan Snarker" and "Loners Are Freaks", and subvert "TV Genius" in several respects. <.<

Of course, real people are supposed to be more complicated and multi-dimensional than that, so maybe I'm not.

What the difference between nerds and geeks again?

The spelling.

But then I would say I'm more of a nerd, but really sort of on the borderline, I'm not really that socially inept, but can be at times. May explain why I was posting on this board last friday night instead of going out.

If we're using TVTropes definition, I'd fall under "Deadpan Snarker" and "Loners Are Freaks", and subvert "TV Genius" in several respects. <.<

Of course, real people are supposed to be more complicated and multi-dimensional than that, so maybe I'm not.
I mainly mentioned the TVtropes bit because I felt completely at home when reading that particular page. Osaka/whatever her real name is like watching my long lost twin sister in action.
Almost entirely disconnected from reality and existing entirely in a world of my own where things are much more interesting than in the so-termed real world where every one else seems to locate themselves.

What the difference between nerds and geeks again?
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd010904s.gif
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=401

.. I always considered Geeks as the smart socially inept ones. I figured nerds as being socially inept plus not smart.

The definitions tend to get swapped depending on whether the group you're in refers to themselves as "geeks" or as "nerds".

What the difference between nerds and geeks again?
"Nerd" normally describes a socially challenged person that is good at stuff that's dull, but actually matters in life. As in, the guy who gets straight A's at school, passes the exams perfectly, all that.

Geeks are socially challenged people who are obsessed with obscure stuff nobody cares about. As in, electronics geeks, Star Trek geeks, whatever-else geeks. "Computer geek" is now increasingly substituted by "computer nerd" - presumably because computers have become dull stuff that matters.

No, I am not a Hellenic with a broken keyboard or a speech impediment.

What the difference between nerds and geeks again?

I usually define it based on main areas of interest. Most nerds or geeks have one main thing they're particularly obsessive about, and then various other things they enjoy. For nerds, this one thing tends to be academic in nature - one might be a maths nerd (me) or a physics nerd. For geeks, by contrast, this tends to be something like a game or TV show - a WoW geek or a Trek geek (trekkie).

Fen of written science fiction are a little trickier here, but I would generally divide them based on if they've even heard of the "Big Three"*. If they have, they're probably on the nerdy side, while if they haven't, they're much more likely to be on the geeky side.

Certain types of sports are somewhat overrepresented among both geeks and nerds, generally on the unusual and extreme ends of things. Rock climbing is surprisingly popular, urban exploration, historical combat systems, ultimate frisbee, etc.

So for some rough descriptions of a nerd and a geek. Our nerd might be incredibly interested in physics, and reads textbooks for entertainment and personal development. To unwind, he's** fairly likely to be found reading an Asimov novel, hanging out on a SCA mailing list, or hiking up a nearby hill. A geek could be found playing Starcraft as much as possible, and perfecting his tactics there. For other pursuits, you might find him reading Freakangels or watching Firefly.

Having said that, of course, the categories are really fluid. More useful might be defining oneself as a pre-web or post-web geek/nerd. Pre-web is the sort of person the Jargon file talks about. They'll tend to use words such as 'fen' for the plural of 'fan', read written SF (and call it SF or SF&F), include "The Wizard of Earthsea" as SF, be less likely to be into gaming, and slightly more likely to be involved in some sort of physical pursuit, normally one demanding a fair bit of finesse and skill. Post-web is the sort of person who gets top scores on online "Are you a geek" tests. They'll tend to say thinks like 'w00t' or 'lol' without much of a sense or irony, play computer games a lot more, watch sci-fi on TV instead of reading it (and call it sci-fi), and (to stereotype massively) be less likely to have some physical pursuit. That broad enough for you?

*Classically considered to be Heinlein, Clarke, and Asimov.

**Still far more likely to be a he, unfortunately.

I usually define it based on main areas of interest. Most nerds or geeks have one main thing they're particularly obsessive about, and then various other things they enjoy. For nerds, this one thing tends to be academic in nature - one might be a maths nerd (me) or a physics nerd. For geeks, by contrast, this tends to be something like a game or TV show - a WoW geek or a Trek geek (trekkie).
*snip*

Hmm so by your defintion I am not sure where I fit... I have many many hobbies but if I had to pick an obsession I'd say humor (I find it everywhere). I'm as likely to play Starcraft or read a comic book as I am to go outside and play a sport (football, baseball, volleyball, and though I suck at it basketball). I usually enjoy widdling away a few hours on NS and I pursue about a dozen or so other browser based games. I'm also an avid role player, I play several games and always get together on Saturday nights if I don't have a date (it does happen). I'm outgoing, easygoing, and make friends fast... but people have always lumped me into the geek/nerd category o.O

Hmm so by your defintion I am not sure where I fit... I have many many hobbies but if I had to pick an obsession I'd say humor (I find it everywhere). I'm as likely to play Starcraft or read a comic book as I am to go outside and play a sport (football, baseball, volleyball, and though I suck at it basketball). I usually enjoy widdling away a few hours on NS and I pursue about a dozen or so other browser based games. I'm also an avid role player, I play several games and always get together on Saturday nights if I don't have a date (it does happen). I'm outgoing, easygoing, and make friends fast... but people have always lumped me into the geek/nerd category o.O

Noting the prevalence of gaming, and the apparent lack of academic obsessions, I would be inclined to categorise you on the geeky side of things.

Of course, I am not any sort of authority on the subject.

Noting the prevalence of gaming, and the apparent lack of academic obsessions, I would be inclined to categorise you on the geeky side of things.

Of course, I am not any sort of authority on the subject.

I'm going back to college. So Nerd?

I'm going back to college. So Nerd?

If you want - you get to define yourself, not me.