Are Science Enthusiasts Really Geeks or Nerds?

[quddusaliquddus]

Why is it that non-interested people say that people interested in science are geeks/nerds/geekish/nerdish?
Is it true?
If yes, why?
If no, why?

I understand that almost all sensetive questions seem to start off with a dispute about the definitions. So let's see everyone's definitions of 'geeks'/'nerds' at the outset - if you believe such a thing exists.

 

[selfAdjoint]

If you are very interested in science, then you are by definition interested in something that bores most people to tears. And if you try to talk to them about it, they will respond to their boredom, not to your interest.

 

[ShawnD]

I can't stand talking to non-geeks. It's too much like talking to a 10 year old.

 

[Dooga Blackrazor]

Nerd:

1. A foolish, inept, or unattractive person.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

By technical definition there probably aren't very many Nerd's out there. By public definition Nerds are everywhere. Technically, I'm probably not one.

When I say public definition I'm referring to things like the word "Sick" meaning cool. Most public people classify someone who is smart as a Nerd, especially if they have glasses and other stereotypical Nerd qualities. Geek is the same definition.

I'm proud of being a publically defined Nerd and like someone above, I find it difficult talking to someone who isn't one. However when someone calls me a Geek, I say I prefer the term Nerd. Geek just sounds weird to me.

So people interested in Science by the public eye are probably Nerds. If you came up with evidence against them calling you this most would probably laugh, call you a Nerd again, and run off. I hope I clarified things somewhat. This is only my take on the subject.

 

[wolram]

I'm not a geek or a nerd, i was quite the opposite and used
to have a low opinion of bookworms, because of that
i have had to work very hard to get a half decent job,
so learn what you can ,but don't be to hard on the
ignorant, we didn't know you needed knowledge to
get on in the world.

 

[motai]

Nerd:
1. A foolish, inept, or unattractive person.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

That definition seems rather skewed to me. It means both an accomplished scientist as well as a foolish, inept person. I don't know very many science-type people who are foolish or inept.

 

[ShawnD]

we didn't know you needed knowledge to
get on in the world

What do you think those "special guests" visiting the school were trying to tell you?

Football player: school is ok
Kid1: what did he say?
Kid2: I think he said school is totally gay

 

[Ebolamonk3y]

?nerds what is that? Candy is good.

 

[cragwolf]

It seems to me that the subculture of nerds/geeks typically involves the following interests: fantasy, sci-fi, star trek, and D&D. I've never been interested in those pasttimes (except dabbled briefly in sci-fi). Also, the stereotpyical nerd/geek is lame at sport and hates it, but I've always done pretty well at it, and enjoy it.

But if I'm wrong, and being a nerd/geek actually means to devote oneself to an interest to such an extent that it takes significant time away from activities society expects you to take part in, like socialising and courting, then nerds and geeks are solely responsible for the advance of civilisation.

 

[motai]

I too do not fit in with cragwolf's description of a nerd. I believe the common stereotype of a nerd is pictured in the Simpsons (e.g. Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con), where most nerds walk around in otherworldy costumes and speak with high-pitched voices. Outside of the costumes the show also depicts them as having pocket protectors, nose bleeds, and pack-like instincts.

 

[ShawnD]

I don't fit most of those nerd things, but I'm still classified as a nerd. I think it's mostly based on appreciation of knowledge. If you enjoy being smart, you are a nerd. If you love computers, you're a nerd (no excuses).

I love parties, and I drink more alcohol than anybody else I know, but I'm a nerd because I love computers too much. I actually skipped senior prom to fix my computer.

 

[enigma]

Don't forget the horrible subcategory:

The (cue dramatic music) Enginerd

*sigh*

 

[ShawnD]

Don't forget the horrible subcategory:

The (cue dramatic music) Enginerd

Engineers are nerds at your university? At University of Alberta, they're the cool kids. They're the ones with the best parties. They're the ones who drink the most. They're the ones who have the most fun (until they fail all first semester classes ). The engineers at U of A are thought of as the idiots on campus (not including basket weaving courses like philosophy).

I was in engineering at a tech school and all the guys there were pretty awesome. We went to the bar all the time. We had pub crawls. The leaders of the Mechanical Engineering department organized a trip to Las Vegas over the Christmas break.
Engineering is pretty fun actually. Next year in chem, I expect to be grouped with nerds who are not as fun but are easier to relate to.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Geeks come in all flavors. I know science geeks, literary geeks, computer geeks, insurance geeks (they're the geekiest of geeks, IMHO), history geeks, math geeks, legal geeks, scrabble geeks, stamp-collecting geeks, bird-watching geeks, finance geeks. When I think of a geek, I think of someone who is very passionate about a particular subject and has a tendency to talk on the topic of interest ad nauseum.

 

[motai]

Geeks come in all flavors. I know science geeks, literary geeks, computer geeks, insurance geeks (they're the geekiest of geeks, IMHO), history geeks, math geeks, legal geeks, scrabble geeks, stamp-collecting geeks, bird-watching geeks, finance geeks. When I think of a geek, I think of someone who is very passionate about a particular subject and has a tendency to talk on the topic of interest ad nauseum.

If that is the case, then what about the traditional "cool" kids who are classified as jocks? Since they seem so apt at socializing would they be social geeks?

 

[Math Is Hard]

If that is the case, then what about the traditional "cool" kids who are classified as jocks? Since they seem so apt at socializing would they be social geeks?

ha ha That's an interesting classification, Motai. Is "social geek" an oxymoron?

 

[ShawnD]

ha ha That's an interesting classification, Motai. Is "social geek" an oxymoron?

Yeah but it's no worse than "stupid nerd". Man, jocks are such idiots. I haven't yet figured out if they are poisoning the gene pool with idiocy or enhancing it with fitness.

 

[Evo]

I'm not a geek or a nerd, i was quite the opposite and used
to have a low opinion of bookworms, because of that
i have had to work very hard to get a half decent job,
so learn what you can ,but don't be to hard on the
ignorant, we didn't know you needed knowledge to
get on in the world.

I was a "bookworm" and referred to as an "egghead", although I never considered myself worthy of the latter.

Wolram, from your posts I would consider you an "egghead". I guess you've made up for those lost years!

 

[Chi Meson]

Used perjoratively, it seems to be almost entirely based on appearance whether or not a kid is called a geek/nerd/whatever.

The saddest thing is the kid who is classified as "geek" or "nerd" but isn't really that smart. Of the several severly socially inept students at my high school, none of them ever do very well in my physics class (if they take it at all). It's not that they aren't wearing the "right" clothes, it's that they are wearing the absolutely-most-definitely "wrong" clothes and glasses and haircut etc. THey might have tattooed "abuse me" on their forehead to finish it off!

Some such kids have such defenses built up that they will push away or even strike back at anyone who tries to give them a hand.

 

[enigma]

I believe that the correct term for someone like that is "dork".

 

[iansmith]

You guys migth want to take a look at the A Definitive Guide To Nerdology

 

[Njorl]

I remember a thread linking to a Myers-Briggs personality assessment test. About 80% of us were INTJs. About 2% of the population at large are INTJs. I think the INTJs and INTPs are the "nerdier" types.

Falling back on The Simpsons (the single most important cultural phenomenon of our time), we have two types of nerds - Milhouse and professor Frink. Frink is a genius;Milhouse is an idiot. So, we see that nerdishness is not dependent upon intelligence.

OT - Does anyone know why Milhouse spells his name ending with "ouse" instead of "Milhaus", like Nixon's middle name?

Njorl

 

[ShawnD]

Then there's also how Maddox sees nerds.

 

[ShawnD]

Maybe he didn't want the character to reflect Nixon?

It could also be for clarity so people don't mispronounce the name. Remember Gigli? How many of us thought it was giggly (laughin) instead of jee-lee?

 

[Chi Meson]

I believe that the correct term for someone like that is "dork".

Yeahbut, the students that hurl the insults are usually not intelligent enough to grasp the nuances of these epithets.

Turns out that the "smart geeks" do not view "geek" or Nerd" as perjorative. In our school at least, there are enough of them ("us") to have safety in numbers. Alas, the aforementioned "dorks," are even shunned from these cliques. I feel so bad for them (honestly), but one kid, a couple of years ago, got vicious when I offered to listen to any ""difficulties he might be having." Jeez, I can't repeat what he called me!

 

[Njorl]

I went to an all boys high school. I remember that academic achievement was not the least bit "nerdy". There was aggressive, high-spirited competition for class rank, and on the athletic field. Most of the top students were also among our best athletes. Our valedictorian was a first-string all-city cornerback. It was not uncommon to see jocks playing chess in the cafeteria.

I wonder if the presence of girls brings out a need to put down other boys. When you are competing for the sake of competion, you want your opponent to be as good as possible. When you are competing for sex, your competion must be destroyed.

Njorl

 

[ShawnD]

Njorl, have you ever seen that movie 28 Days Later? It's just like how you described. The military guys are totally ok when it's just men, but when women show up, the men start turning against each other.

 

[Imparcticle]

Yeahbut, the students that hurl the insults are usually not intelligent enough to grasp the nuances of these epithets.

Turns out that the "smart geeks" do not view "geek" or Nerd" as perjorative. In our school at least, there are enough of them ("us") to have safety in numbers. Alas, the aforementioned "dorks," are even shunned from these cliques. I feel so bad for them (honestly), but one kid, a couple of years ago, got vicious when I offered to listen to any ""difficulties he might be having." Jeez, I can't repeat what he called me!

Hey at least you have other "nerdy" pals to be yourself with. At my school, there are very few...so few, I only know 2 and am friends with one. There are smart people, but when I mention Relativity as one of my favorite topics, they get lost. Even then, I don't know ANYONE whom I can talk about fun topics like m-theory, GR/SR. My conversations are limited to basic philosophy.

But, on the bright side, I have been able to somewhat successfully adapt to my surroundings, to such an extent that I am often referred to as a "cool nerd".

I know what you mean, there are those annoying in-crowd clique members who are really mean. This guy in most of my classes always tends to be rude to me, because he thinks I think I know everything and that I'm weird. I couldn't care less of his opinion...seriosly, the guy thinks college edu is not needed.

but, I AM PROUD TO BE A "NERD".

 

[Trogdor]

hey,
I am not a chess club member or in the school band (yet)
I don't wear huge thick glasses
nor do I wear pocket protectors
I don't know Phillip, Hubert,or Nancy although I am sure they're really really nice
It is pronounced "parabola", not "perrabla"
I can proudly wear my Science Olympics t-shirt in public
I believe that physics can be applied to EVERYTHING
I enjoy it when women talk nerdy to me
pie is NOT exactly 3.14 and Newton is my hero
my name is Trogdor and I am a Geek!
thank you

 

[KingNothing]

Yeah but it's no worse than "stupid nerd". Man, jocks are such idiots. I haven't yet figured out if they are poisoning the gene pool with idiocy or enhancing it with fitness.

I am really offended by this. I am sometimes called a jock, not often, but it happens. This is every bit as prejudice as racism tends to be, and I think the moral interference with it is about the same too. I think you should really think about what you say when you stereotype people so badly.

PS: My name is KingNothing, and I am a geek. I prefer playboy models licking microscopes to models licking lollipops. I throw controllers, and sometimes I analyze things for fun. I play computer games and videogames, and I am good at them all. I have owned the best items in Diablo 2. I have learned 90% of my vocabulary from games.