5 Reasons calling somone a nerd is officially meaningless

[Vault101]

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-reasons-calling-someone-nerd-officially-meaningless/

yes, Its a cracked article

Reason I'm sharing this is because I think its partically interesting to see what you guys would think, a group that would proudly carry the label "geek/nerd" and also after the "girrrl gamer" thread we had not so long ago (and that other thread I just noticed)

so what do you think? does the writer have a point? or do you disagree?

 

[Vault101]

Nerd is to pathetic people what ****** is to black people.

soooo...are you saying people who, one way or another "fit" the nerd thing..are pathetic?

 

[ultratog1028]

As a nerd, I have known this for years. Someone calls me a nerd, I take it as a compliment.

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

Nerd is to pathetic people what ****** is to black people.

This is the most accurate post here and let me tell you why.

People who are pathetic often feel pathetic. Therefore when you call them a "nerd" it hurts/offends them deeply.

Calling someone of African American descent a N***er can be both offensive and endearing depending on who is on the receiving end of the word. (fear of mod wrath since the other guy got banned) Another analogy would be the difference between calling someone who is homosexual but ashamed of it a "******" and someone who is out and proud the same thing. One would own the term and one would take offense. I have homosexual friends who totally own that word lol. The words only have meaning if the person on the receiving end attaches that meaning to them.

By social and hip definition i'd be considered a nerd, but the actual definition I would not because I do not have all the negative connotations the word is really meant to carry, therefore i'd own it based on my interests and not really care, where as someone who is depressed, socially inept, different, etc might take offense to being called a nerd still in this day and age.

 

[Section Crow]

that gave me an hearty chuckle, i never knew that this is what people thought made up a nerd

 

[Carboncrown]

Yeah, there was no reason for that suspension.

OT: Writing a defensive essay on the internet is what really says: I'm confident in who I am.

 

[Phasmal]

Is anyone actually bothered by being called a nerd?

I can understand if you're NOT a nerd, or a nerd in denial, being annoyed by it. But I just smile when I get called a nerd. Which is usually by my sister, who almost exclusively calls me `Nerd-Girl`.

Plus, nerds are hot. XD

 

[])rStrangelove]

As a nerd, I have known this for years. Someone calls me a nerd, I take it as a compliment.

Exactly, today it just means you have somebody with exceptional knowledge in a specific domain.

 

[Archemetis]

At least it's better than geek, which suppsedly means 'someone who eats live chickens'.

 

[MassiveGeek]

At least it's better than geek, which suppsedly means 'someone who eats live chickens'.

Really?

My username has a whole new meaning now.

 

[sean360h]

1: read cracked.com
2: post cracked.com related thread
3: ????????
4: Profit

Honestly why is it every time cracked releases an article that can be even remotely related to gamers or gaming somebody decides to post it on the escapist like 2-5 days later.

 

[LordFisheh]

By social and hip definition i'd be considered a nerd, but the actual definition I would not because I do not have all the negative connotations the word is really meant to carry, therefore i'd own it based on my interests and not really care, where as someone who is depressed, socially inept, different, etc might take offense to being called a nerd still in this day and age.

And what makes the negative connotations negative?

Can you point me to a set number of minimum hours per week that should be set aside for social interaction? A list of approved and non-approved hobbies? The correct state of mind to live one's life in or the correct set of aspirations? And I hope you have hard scientific proof for each answer, otherwise you'd just be presenting one more meaningless opinion in seven billion and condemning the socially inept for not following it blindly.

I agree that the word is being reclaimed from use as a petty insult, and that someone secure in their identity shouldn't take offence. But not because they're people who've become objectively 'better' than the others and just share a few interests that someone might associate with being one of them. The word is being reclaimed by people who know that the bullshit line about them being pathetic and inferior is so much hot air from posturing children.

 

[FamoFunk]

I've never been called a nerd, ever. I wouldn't actually care if I was; it's hardly offensive.

 

[Cousin_IT]

Compiling a list of reasons why nerd is a meaningless word is such a nerdy thing to do.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I've never understood why people would willingly label themselves as 'nerds' or 'geeks'. Being obsessed with a cartoon/game/collectible card game does not equate to be being an intellectual. Far from it.

 

[GirDraconis]

I've never understood why people would willingly label themselves as 'nerds' or 'geeks'. Being obsessed with a cartoon/game/collectible card game does not equate to be being an intellectual. Far from it.

This! Well said. Now look at that second sentence. Everything about it rings true to me. An obsession with something that isn't real shouldn't be something to base your personal character on. How many people out there have jobs they hate? TONS! Do they identify their jobs with their character? Most likely not. Video games, movies, comics, "nerd" material, etc... (based on the article), they are fantastic hobbies. They're things that can keep you from being bored. They were intended to be distractions to life. However, they've become so real and engrossing, that many people would much rather live in their games than in real life because let's be honest, I'll most likely never be as bad-ass as my Skyrim characters, or Batman, or any other super-human characters (or plain old human, for that matter). They're an escape (hence, "The Escapist"). People are proud to bear the title "nerd" or "geek" because it is reinforcing a key piece of their identity. The problem, I feel, is that non-reality is becoming a key piece of peoples' identities. We can be anybody we want online so of course it seems easier to just be an avatar or a screen-name. Hell, I have one hell of a hard time looking people in the eye when I'm talking to them in person which makes online interactions super easy, and sometimes, more enjoyable for me. They're much less stressful. However, I can't just hide behind the avatar for the rest of my life.

Think of a video game as an alcoholic beverage (for those of you that can LEGALLY drink alcohol). When I play a game, I'm using it to help wind down after a stressful day, or just release some extra tension by taking "the edge" off of life, which can be razor sharp at times. I'd say the same thing about beer. After a rough day, I can come home and have a beer to help me relax. I can now see the obvious benefits to drinking beer. Drinking one makes me feel pretty good, so how about two? Of course, the law of diminishing returns will start kicking in. I'll eventually have too much beer and be all messed up and even have trouble interacting with normal society without that beer. Video games are the same way. Too much is too much. It's okay to play video games, but when they control your existence, you need to put the controller down. Being called a nerd isn't that big of a deal. However, truly obsessing over fictional characters and stories is a big deal and it's not healthy.