Comments on: Not A Geek?

By: Stray Taoist

Stray Taoist — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:23:17 +0000

Well, I think it is more the single-minded-ness that springs to my mind first when I consider the connotations of geekery. When applied round here, it generally means focused on one activity to the exclusion of others. Quite the opposite to the definitions given by Jessica. And ‘nerd’ seems to have fallen out of use, at least amongst the Cambridge-Town intelligensia.

I too spend arguments/discussions/exasperated encounters trying to get people to define their terms. I no longer adhere to such cultural strangleholds. Linguistic terrorism is the way forward!

But crikey, two recent posts from something I said. How honoured am I? Very, as it happens. And no mockery from it either! How times change!

I tried to make some joke about ‘peculiar’, ‘familiar’ and ‘witch’, but it didn’t work. So I bow out now.

By: karen

karen — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:38:32 +0000

I’m amused by your definition of dork

Isn’t is great that even though we speak the same words that we don’t mean the same things? I’m always worried about what people think I’m saying to them – but can’t really stop every conversation to analyse the words and ask “so what exactly do you mean when you use that word”.

Actually I do spend quite a bit of time in conversations defining the words I’m using. Especially when people disagree with what I’m saying or just look completely baffled.

By: Jessica Marie

Jessica Marie — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:29:39 +0000

My understanding of these words is as follows:

Nerd: socially inept, but intelligent; interested in a narrow range of subjects.

Geek: socially accepted, intelligent; interested in a broader range of subjects.

Dork: Wants to be a geek or a nerd, socially inept, unintelligent. Thinks his/her social ineptitude equals intelligence.

A bit different from your understanding, and that’s the fun I suppose.

By: Chastity

Chastity — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:40:29 +0000

I love when you write about words – all their connotations and usages. You may be the only person I know who cares about the underlying meanings of words as much as I do. You’re able to write coherently about the things I think of regarding words that only translate in my brain intuitively. (That seems very unclear.) I like that you can write clearly about the things I can only understand internally – on an intuitive level. Face it, we’re word-geeks. Also, you’re right, geek is a much friendlier word than nerd.