Alright. So depending on where you are in the world, you might define "geek" a little differently. In my end of the world - geeks top the social scale; followed by nerds, with dorks coming in last place. However, there is a lot of overlap between the three, so the lines aren't always clear as to who is what. So it really boils down to how you define yourself, and what you are comfortable proclaiming yourself as. Yes, I'm a geek - but I totally have my nerdy and dorky moments. I'm providing some handy definitions, to better clarify what is a geek for the purposes of this blog. I've appropriated the definitions from wikipedia, because they are far more detailed than anything I could come up with on my own.
GEEK
The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no longer any consistent modern definite meaning. The social and rather derogatory connotations of the word make it particularly difficult to define. A definition common among self-identified geeks is: "one who is primarily motivated by passion," indicating somebody whose reasoning and decision making is always first and foremost based on his/her passions rather than things like financial reward or social acceptance. Geeks do not see the typical "geeky" interests as merely interesting, but as objects of passionate devotion. The idea that the pursuit of personal passions should be the fundamental driving force to all decisions could be considered the most basic shared tenet among geeks of all varieties. Geeks consider such pursuits to be their own defining characteristic.
- A person who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who pursues skill (especially technical skill) and imagination, not mainstream social acceptance.
- A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream. This could be due to the intensity, depth, or subject of their interest. This definition is very broad, and allows for mathematics geeks, engineering geeks, sci-fi geeks, computer geeks, various science geeks, movie and film geeks (cinephile), comics geeks, theatre geeks, history geeks, gamer geeks, music geeks, art geeks, SCA geeks, literature geeks, pharmacy geeks.
- A derogatory term for one with low social skills, regardless of intelligence.
- A person who rejects society, yet is involved in it — unlike and in contrast to a hermit. (This is generally used to also mean someone with high intelligence.) Natasha Chen Christensen quotes Julie Smith: "a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors, who thought of that secret, dreamy place his computer took him to as cyberspace -- somewhere exciting, a place more real than his own life, a land he could conquer, not a drab teenager's room in his parents' house."
- Words such as nerd and dork are similar to the word "geek", but carry different connotations. It could be said that the particular interests of nerds are of practical nature (like math, physics, astronomy), while those of geeks are often considered trivial but entertaining.
NERD
Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities or esoteric knowledge rather than engaging in more social activities, such as organized sports. Therefore, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a loner by peers.
While the term is nearly synonymous with dork or geek in reference to passionate intellectual pursuits and social ineptitude, nerd has the added implication of being affable and amusing. The stereotypical nerd is intelligent but socially and physically awkward. In film and television depictions, nerds are disproportionately white males with glasses and braces. They typically appear either to lack confidence or to be indifferent or oblivious to the negative perceptions held of them by others, with the result that they become frequent objects of scorn, ridicule, bullying, and social isolation. They show a pronounced interest in subjects which others tend to find dull or complex and difficult to comprehend, especially topics related to science, disambiguation, mathematics and technology. Nerds are often portrayed as either obese or incredibly thin. They are also stereotyped to playing role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, MMORPGs, and other things relating to fantasy and science fiction. They are also stereotyped for being obsessed with Star Trek and other sci fi shows or movies.
DORK
Dork is a term of abuse favored by American youngsters, designating the target as quirky, awkward, eccentric, socially inept or simply of lower status. Similar epithets include nerd, geek, and the Australian colloquialism dag, which has the added feature of being seen as affable or amusing. The term implies stupidity perhaps less often than it formerly did, and paradoxically can imply an unadmirable (bookish, academic) intelligence, much as "nerd" and "geek" do.
So overall... nerds, dorks, and geeks are welcome here. The important thing is showing the world that we don't all fit the stereotypes!
