If you’re not a nerd don’t call yourself one
A real nerd is ashamed to be called a nerd
Oh what utter bullshit.
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Here’s an important Nerd PSA from Portlandia
During Friday’s brand new episode of Portlandia, we interrupted your regularly scheduled viewing of your favorite sketch comedy show with an important message from the…
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That is crap.
That’s about as stupid as saying that you should be ashamed of having ADHD.
There are some very weird and vocal factions of nerddom that I really don’t understand.
They seem simultaneously proud, ashamed and protective of their special status.
I had a conversation with my eldest daughter about this. I don’t consider myself a nerd or a geek — those are words that others apply to me. I like Star Wars, and Star Trek, and Firefly, and Sci-Fi in general. I don’t think it’s any different to liking sports, or knitting, or soap opera. I don’t need to wear a label to explain to others what my interests are.
I’m proud and protective but I also understand that my definition of nerd might not match someone elses definition.
I really don’t get those that put down someone that might not know the name and point of origin of every single character in some franchise (as one example).
I’m a HUGE fan of Transformers, can debate origin stories for hours. Same for Spider-Man, Rom: Spaceknight any many other franchises… but I don’t know every single detail about every single character.
I just don’t get it. Especially those that got picked on and bullied as a kid. Although violence does beget violence…
That’s one approach +Damian Trasler. I have always gone in the opposite direction. I cheerfully (and totally lacking the shame I was apparently supposed to feel) called myself a nerd or a geek long before it could remotely have been called trendy.
I’ve even had people helpfully explain how they don’t think I’m really a nerd.
I’m fine with it. It quickly describes my interests.
I think this was trying to spoof the trendiness of being a nerd but it ended up focusing more on people who are unpopular due to physical circumstances rather than interests. If playing video games is what makes someone a nerd then there are a whole lot of nerds out there.
Maybe there was a time when being a ‘nerd’ meant knowing everything about every sci-fi movie, show, book series, and every comic book. Now, though, with all the different mediums and classic stuff, there’s just too much out there to know everything about every single “nerdy” entity and still have a life. Or maybe that’s the definition: obsessing so much about nerdy things that you have absolutely no life.
I generally consider myself a geek. I don’t like when others say I’m not, partly because I wonder if the person saying it is one of those who believes there are no girl geeks. But I recognize that in certain circles of geeks, I will not be able to keep up with the conversation. Sure I know what red-shirting is, but I’m sorry, I don’t speak Klingon.
I don’t speak Klingon either. But at one time I could write Elvish.
I still take geek and nerd in a negative context when I hear it. Probably all those damn John Hughes movies in the 80’s
I’ve a masters in Linguistics so I did take an entire college class on Extraordinary Phonology (the study of the phonology of made up languages) but I did my final paper on Roland’s speech from the Dark Tower series.
That’s not nerdy that’s awesome
+Jack Hardman Thank you very much, sir. Maybe John Hughes did make us all look bad, but Anthony Michael Hall was an adorable little nerd, so I’m still OK with it.
Well we’re laughing now
I take issue with any article that purports to categorize all geeks as “same” anyway. I can’t like the outdoors and still be a geek? Please.
+martha swanson I think being able to recite Back to the Future since you were 6 years old puts you pretty firmly in geek territory.
+Katey Springle Lempka — I’m pretty sure I had it memorized by 5, thank you very much!
k, for starters I get the “angle” they are coming from, it’s gotten very popular for everyone to call themselves a geek or nerd these days and on some levels I find it insulting! Mostly because the type of people, or in some cases the same people, who ridiculed me for being a geek growing up calling themselves a geek or nerd to remain relevant and popular is annoying. However an elitist attitude towards these people or anyone whom you feel may not fit your definition is just annoying.. I am a geek, have always been one and while I can’t say I’ve always proudly worn the badge I, like you +Eoghann Irving, have long before it was the cool thing to do.