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Is being a nerd still have that negative connotion to it?
- Thread starter kyrax12
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Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
The roots of nerd hate were never just about awkward social ability; there is some influence from anti-intellectualism and insecurity about the existence of subcultures. "Stop talking about things I don't understand and liking things I think are stupid."
Lessening of disapproval for nerds and geeks could be somewhat natural as time goes by, nerds don't go away, and people are exposed to a broadening of culture. It's not just marketing, but the marketability of geek chic helps somewhat I suppose.
This too. People cherry pick the most convenient examples of nerds to reaffirm negative stereotypes. Yet if "nerds" keep succeeding, visibly benefiting from the traits that make them nerds, the nerd party starts to look more appealing. (Though in my experience it also seems to make some people who consider themselves jock types even more pissed off.)
Lessening of disapproval for nerds and geeks could be somewhat natural as time goes by, nerds don't go away, and people are exposed to a broadening of culture. It's not just marketing, but the marketability of geek chic helps somewhat I suppose.
This too. People cherry pick the most convenient examples of nerds to reaffirm negative stereotypes. Yet if "nerds" keep succeeding, visibly benefiting from the traits that make them nerds, the nerd party starts to look more appealing. (Though in my experience it also seems to make some people who consider themselves jock types even more pissed off.)
Aβydoς
Banned
Not much. If you go into the otaku territory though...
This was me in school and still today. I don't like to corner myself into one social setting. I always considered it the "drifter" class
Red Liquorice
Member
They sound like squares rather than nerds.
Sectorseven
Member
Ferris Bueller.
krameriffic
Member
Money, success and happiness are not the defining traits of being a square.
Paracelsus
Member
All the people that call themselves nerd (sounds to me like) unironically around me are hipsters, or if you wanna put it in another way, posers.
Enter The 36 Chambers
Member
What is otaku?
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Chill.
I was that guy in high school. It was really funny when the jocks were making this pyrimad scheme type thing where everyone loaned someone money and got other people in, interest free loan pretty much and I started bringing in the geeks with me lmao.
We got an intern in my engineering firm who is a huge video game nerd, sci-fi junky, and collegiate power lifter. Smart kid, and while you can't expect him to know stuff about things before his day, he's a heavy gamer that definitely will 'get' stuff about the past 10 years. His arms are also about the size of my legs.
The internet allows everyone to be nerdy about whatever niche thing they're into. Lacking basic social skills however, will never become mainstream.
Nerd elitism. :scust:
If someone calls themself a nerd then I'll take their word for it. Really not something to feel proud about.
Nerd elitism. :scust:
If someone calls themself a nerd then I'll take their word for it. Really not something to feel proud about.
anarckitty
Member
Sounds like me in high school.
Enter The 36 Chambers
Member
Wtf hahahaha. Gaf teaches me things I think I'd be better off not knowing sometimes.
Imma throw this in that category with the words waifu and pegging.
DoktorEvil
Banned
I know that I never quite fit into one "group" perfectly, because in high school I was a jock, and a geek, and kind Of dorky and awkward, but still talked to girls and made out and had sex and etc.
In college, my competitive drive to play sports was exhausted(if you're not scouted, you're not good enough to go pro) and I became a bigger gamer and tried all of the nerdy and geeky stuff that people talked about but I never experienced, like giant robot anime and Godzilla movies. At the same time, a lot of these things became more mainstream and acceptable and now more people can talk about it freely.
The Internet has made finding your niches so much more easier, than it can be an echo chamber with the people you surround yourself with.
Today, it's cool to wear black rimmed glasses and talk about Dr. Who and comic books. It's mainstream geekdom, the Big Bang copycats of the world. But when you dig deeper and go into intricate details of why a Metal Gear isn't economically feasible, or why EVA is so important to the giant robot anime genre, you tread the line between geek an nerd.
Basically, geek is trendy but you can't show any nerd characteristics.
In college, my competitive drive to play sports was exhausted(if you're not scouted, you're not good enough to go pro) and I became a bigger gamer and tried all of the nerdy and geeky stuff that people talked about but I never experienced, like giant robot anime and Godzilla movies. At the same time, a lot of these things became more mainstream and acceptable and now more people can talk about it freely.
The Internet has made finding your niches so much more easier, than it can be an echo chamber with the people you surround yourself with.
Today, it's cool to wear black rimmed glasses and talk about Dr. Who and comic books. It's mainstream geekdom, the Big Bang copycats of the world. But when you dig deeper and go into intricate details of why a Metal Gear isn't economically feasible, or why EVA is so important to the giant robot anime genre, you tread the line between geek an nerd.
Basically, geek is trendy but you can't show any nerd characteristics.
Yeah, at this point I'd say that "geek" is more an indicator that you enjoy only the most popular and obvious forms of genre fiction -- Star Wars, Walking Dead, Lord of the Rings, The Avengers, etc. It kinda gets on my nerves to see someone proclaim themselves a big geek because they liked a movie that made $800 million dollars at the box office. Then you talk to them and they only enjoy those things in the most passive and transitory way. If you pressed them they wouldn't know the Hulk's name or they would refer to Daenarys as "Khaleesi".
"Nerd" is something I'd use for people with a deeper and more obsessive interest. Someone who actually read Game of Thrones rather than watching it. Someone who has their own cosplay costumes. Someone who can speed run Mario 64. Someone who knows how many different versions of the Enterprise there are (and how each one was destroyed).
"Nerd" is something I'd use for people with a deeper and more obsessive interest. Someone who actually read Game of Thrones rather than watching it. Someone who has their own cosplay costumes. Someone who can speed run Mario 64. Someone who knows how many different versions of the Enterprise there are (and how each one was destroyed).
In my high school, nerd and geek were pretty much synonymous, albeit things have changed a lot since the 90s. Both words meant you were a person who was probably into AD&D, video games, fantasy, science, math, high grades, books, and not-sports. It all balled up into those interchangeable words.
Dork was something that could apply to anyone being ditzy-- a bit like "derp" today, I suppose? But again, that's how my area interpreted these words.
These days, it's like geek and nerd are labels people seem to aspire towards, which is weird to me. They want to be associated with black-rimmed glasses and science and gaming and comics and blah blah blee blah bloo etc because it's "trendy". I do sorta blame Big Bang Theory for that, but I also watch the dumb show, so what can I say :/ It's a sitcom. I like the references to comics and old games/consoles, and, however accurate things are, I also like the science babble. Eh.
When I talk about myself, though (and I generally try not to), I never refer to myself as a nerd, geek, or gamer. I say I like games. I like manga and comic books. Hey, I love biology and can't get enough Coursera shit. It helps avoid being thought of as a nerd/geek for the sake of being trendy, mainly.
As a girl, I've had my share of guys scoff and ask if I meant Candy Crush when I talked about gaming, and that's been annoying. I like comics, so I probably just like The Walking Dead, because TV. It's the nature of the beast, and "faux nerd" as a trend hasn't helped :/
... I'm sure I started this with a point of some kind, but I have no idea what it was now. Mmm, cheesy fries.
I guess "sometimes it's negative, sometimes it's not, but not for the same reasons as 20 years ago"? Uh.
Dork was something that could apply to anyone being ditzy-- a bit like "derp" today, I suppose? But again, that's how my area interpreted these words.
These days, it's like geek and nerd are labels people seem to aspire towards, which is weird to me. They want to be associated with black-rimmed glasses and science and gaming and comics and blah blah blee blah bloo etc because it's "trendy". I do sorta blame Big Bang Theory for that, but I also watch the dumb show, so what can I say :/ It's a sitcom. I like the references to comics and old games/consoles, and, however accurate things are, I also like the science babble. Eh.
When I talk about myself, though (and I generally try not to), I never refer to myself as a nerd, geek, or gamer. I say I like games. I like manga and comic books. Hey, I love biology and can't get enough Coursera shit. It helps avoid being thought of as a nerd/geek for the sake of being trendy, mainly.
As a girl, I've had my share of guys scoff and ask if I meant Candy Crush when I talked about gaming, and that's been annoying. I like comics, so I probably just like The Walking Dead, because TV. It's the nature of the beast, and "faux nerd" as a trend hasn't helped :/
... I'm sure I started this with a point of some kind, but I have no idea what it was now. Mmm, cheesy fries.
I guess "sometimes it's negative, sometimes it's not, but not for the same reasons as 20 years ago"? Uh.
Nerd and geek are interchangeable and neither has any meaning because both are applied so often and so liberally.
When the supermodel dresses up as obscure comic book character X and goes to comicon to drum up interest in her new film, she'll proudly proclaim herself to be a geek. And she'll have just as much claim to the description as everyone else on the planet.
When the supermodel dresses up as obscure comic book character X and goes to comicon to drum up interest in her new film, she'll proudly proclaim herself to be a geek. And she'll have just as much claim to the description as everyone else on the planet.
Not after people realised that nerds earn loads of money.
10 years ago when I told people I like art and games they told me I'll end up jobless and homeless.
Now when I tell people I'm into games for a living, they're interested and think I'm really quirky and must be rich.
From what I've seen, most the 'nerds' and 'geeks' that have lived long enough to get shit for liking nerdy stuff are now earning more money than their friends/schoolmates who aren't.
I'm not saying it's all about the money, but it is a factor of how people see it. Gaming industry now makes crazy amounts of money, as we all know - more than hollywood films, so people (like my parents) realised that this isn't something for kids only or a 'phase' that'll disappear. It is an actual thing. And it's good.
10 years ago when I told people I like art and games they told me I'll end up jobless and homeless.
Now when I tell people I'm into games for a living, they're interested and think I'm really quirky and must be rich.
From what I've seen, most the 'nerds' and 'geeks' that have lived long enough to get shit for liking nerdy stuff are now earning more money than their friends/schoolmates who aren't.
I'm not saying it's all about the money, but it is a factor of how people see it. Gaming industry now makes crazy amounts of money, as we all know - more than hollywood films, so people (like my parents) realised that this isn't something for kids only or a 'phase' that'll disappear. It is an actual thing. And it's good.
It has to do with where you are in life and how you handle it socially. In high school its a little less acceptable but around college time, like what someone said, its almost a notch in your belt. It all comes down to how you come across to other people about that shit tho
Like if your into anime or whatever dont be at a bar or party asking people have they seen the new shit coming out this summer and what are their thoughts or waifu or shit like that.
Like if your into anime or whatever dont be at a bar or party asking people have they seen the new shit coming out this summer and what are their thoughts or waifu or shit like that.
CelticKnight
Member
I don't know, they've always looked happy with life on the box.
Sectorseven
Member
Not after people realised that nerds earn loads of money.
10 years ago when I told people I like art and games they told me I'll end up jobless and homeless.
Now when I tell people I'm into games for a living, they're interested and think I'm really quirky and must be rich.
From what I've seen, most the 'nerds' and 'geeks' that have lived long enough to get shit for liking nerdy stuff are now earning more money than their friends/schoolmates who aren't.
I'm not saying it's all about the money, but it is a factor of how people see it. Gaming industry now makes crazy amounts of money, as we all know - more than hollywood films, so people (like my parents) realised that this isn't something for kids only or a 'phase' that'll disappear. It is an actual thing. And it's good.
I don't think people associate nerds with money. They do well, but the real money is still with the executives, who aren't nerds at all for the most part.
DoktorEvil
Banned
In certain industries, being nerdy is a good qualifier for executive.
If anything, I think nerds are the guys that spend the most money on merchandise shit. They're far from "rich".
Chinese Cartoons
Banned
Pretty much.
Sectorseven
Member
I agree, but for every Bill Gates there are ten Jack Trettons. Not meant to bash Tretton, but he definitely falls under "suit" rather than "nerd."
Pretty much this. Hence my massive hatred of the big bang theory (that and I just find it unfunny).
Faux Nerds are in, basically hipsters, real nerds still get mocked.
Once again tv tropes says its better then I could:
That was me in High School.
Seriously, Hollywood (as always) exaggerates or just plain lies. For me at least High School was no where near as click-segregated as movies and TV make it out to be (there WAS racism, but that's a whole nother can of worms).
toastyToast
Member
Can't really speak to that honestly unless you're still in school. Once you're out you can group up with whoever you want.
Being socially awkward and reclusive will never be in though
Being socially awkward and reclusive will never be in though
DoktorEvil
Banned
It depends on how far we can extend being nerdy to: the stereotype or the definition which means someone who's obsessive about one particular hobby. There are such things as bodybuilding nerds.
Pretty much this. Hence my massive hatred of the big bang theory (that and I just find it unfunny).
Faux Nerds are in, basically hipsters, real nerds still get mocked.
Once again tv tropes says its better then I could:
Agree, except hipsters are not nerds or geeks. They're the remains of the emo subculture mixed in with low quality indie rock and obscure movies and obscure remains of true geekdom. Basically they're cultural appropriators. No real identity...
Wreck-It Ralph
Member
I think this is what it really comes down to.
I'd say a lot of the stuff that was deemed nerdy in the past isn't necessarily considered (quite as) nerdy anymore (gaming has become a hobby of the masses, so someone playing videogames isn't as much of a social stigma as it might've been sometime in the past), but that doesn't mean nerds themselves are necessarily viewed in a positive light. You can do nerd stuff but if you come off as nerdy, you're still viewed negatively by a part of society (though the size of that part of society might have diminished while the size of the nerd communities has grown).
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
Meh. People who know me know thing of me as of a nerd/geek whatever because of my interests. I mean I did choose a career in fixing computers, have a 3 monitor set-up at home, obsessed over videogames and movies, and what not.
People who don't know me, won't assume such, because well...I'm nearly 6 feet tall, weight 200 pounds, shave my head and apparently have a constant furrow in my brow in my neutral expression which apparently gives off a tense look like I am angry; which is funny if anything I'm exact opposite of that vibe, I'm a very friendly guy, and very timid if anything.
My sister says when I'm wearing glasses it gives me a more approachable "nicer" look.
I've also grown to not give a damn when I realize nerdier people than me make it in jobs, I'm not in highschool anymore, it doesn't mean anything anymore.
People who don't know me, won't assume such, because well...I'm nearly 6 feet tall, weight 200 pounds, shave my head and apparently have a constant furrow in my brow in my neutral expression which apparently gives off a tense look like I am angry; which is funny if anything I'm exact opposite of that vibe, I'm a very friendly guy, and very timid if anything.
My sister says when I'm wearing glasses it gives me a more approachable "nicer" look.
I've also grown to not give a damn when I realize nerdier people than me make it in jobs, I'm not in highschool anymore, it doesn't mean anything anymore.
Pretty much this. Hence my massive hatred of the big bang theory (that and I just find it unfunny).
Faux Nerds are in, basically hipsters, real nerds still get mocked.
Once again tv tropes says its better then I could:
The thing is though that it's not really that hard to be the Doctor. You just have to study and work really hard. Also I think this picture captures more of the difference between a dork and a nerd, but that's just me.
But to OP, the whole "is it cool to be a nerd thing?" isn't really the issue. What's cool is being successful and you get that by hard work (and of course some luck).
Out of Working Order
Member
Somebody once said to me that he thought I'd make a 'good engineer'. Not sure what he based that off, given the fact I'd not demonstrated any particular talent for engineering.
I decided it was an underhand insult.
I decided it was an underhand insult.
DoktorEvil
Banned
I've heard that as well. When I pressed for an explanation(because hearing that without any good reason would be an insult) it had something to do with my logic/way of thinking.
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