Topical Tuesday: Are You a Nerd, Geek or Dork?

Cowabungaa

New member
Feb 10, 2008
10,806
0
0
I like to call myself an "entertainment nerd" as it's mainly my entertainment interests that are pretty nerdy. I love all things fantasy and sci-fi (books, movies, tv-shows, etc) I love comic books, I'm passionate about videogames and if I would have the chance I'd play D&D, Warhammer and Magic: The Gathering. Maybe even LARP/cosplay for shits & giggles.

Sure, I like more than that (I'd love to play more sports, am fond of taking walks through woodland areas, etc etc) but the nerdy stuff really takes the spotlight.

But I'm not one who keeps fiddling with computers (even though I can probably build one myself) and software. I can't program, I absolutely suck at maths (might have dyscalculia) and most sciences are way beyond my grasp. I'll stick with the nerdy fun stuff.

As for the actual label of geek, nerd or dork. Well, I always had trouble seeing the exact differences between them. I don't really care that much about labels.
 

Charli

New member
Nov 23, 2008
3,445
0
0
Hmmm what a question. I am Charli. And I have earned the title: Nerd.

I pick those few special things that interest me and I know nearly everything about them.
I don't just fangirl/boy over them, they are all I committed myself to knowing more about, to the point of abusing my health and social life. There are some elements of Geek/Dork within my psyche. But I know in my heart I'm a very obsessive person. If something pique's my interest there is nothing you can do to stop me from knowing every little detail about it. Such activities have included, Geometry (Ironically after I took the class, only then did I become interested), Video game programming (Forever working on that one) Mechanics behind MMORPG games in particular. Card Games (Shh) Animation and Soundtracks.

I connect well with like minded individuals (Naturally) hence my ever unending quest to chat on forums about those particular topics.

The only reason I do not earn the title 'Geek' Is my lack of interest in the overall electronic media hype partaking at the moment and while I can put together my own computer I don't /really/ know how alot of the parts work. I know what they do. Not how they tick. :)
Also my ability to 'act' social at times.

I do not take dork either because. Well there are alot of reasons.
 

twaddle

New member
Nov 17, 2009
1,327
0
0
In general i have always classified nerds as people with excessive knowledge and achedmically capable. high grades.

Geeks, however, have the ability to be nerds but put their skills to other uses like computers anime games, etc. I see myself as a Geek/Otaku.

Dorks are people without the benefits of geek and nerd om, but have all the repercussions. Not really fitting in anywhere, but on the positive side, since they are on the bottom they can go any direction they want. Geek, Nerd, Jock, Cool kid, Goth, Emo, etc.
 

Slayer_2

New member
Jul 28, 2008
2,475
0
0
A gaming nerd, I love games and modding. I also hope to go into game development later in life.
 

CrystalShadow

don't upset the insane catgirl
Apr 11, 2009
3,829
0
0
I've never been all that clear on the destinctions really.

I call myself a nerd, but I'm not really sure why I am compared to say, being a geek.

Granted, I was the 'genius' in the class for a long time, but I always hated school, so I never made any effort.

Meanwhile, I have a rediculous amount of knowledge about all kinds of subjects, and a tendency to go off into what can only realistically be described as technobabble.

Also, I have a tendency towards sciency things, or more accurately, a mad scientist tendency towards devising weird gadgets, or trying to figure out how to build a robot, or create AI, or whatever.

Then again, I don't really look like what used to be considered a nerd;
Aside from which I'm also an 'artist' and a fiction writer, which could be seen as cancelling out my nerdyness a little.

I don't really know how to look at it really. I know I'm a nerd, but I think others don't realise that until they actually talk to me.

Sort of as if I'm a 'stealth nerd' or something. XD.

Then again, these days I have some other issues which tend to overshadow simply being a nerd;
People notice something else about me long before they stop to think about wether I'm a nerd or not...
 

Tehlanna TPX

New member
Mar 23, 2010
284
0
0
I guess I'm a combo geek/nerd. I always excelled in school and enjoyed learning, but I was infatuated with computers and video games almost from the moment nintendo came out. I played Doom while sitting in my dad's lap so he could show me what buttons to push. I'm an avid anime fan and still buy all of Hawking's books (he makes physics so hilarious). I was picked on briefly in high school, but it didn't last long enough to deter me from being who I am and being happy with that.

/geek-nerd salute!
 

The Axon Hillock

New member
Sep 4, 2010
83
0
0
Tehlanna TPX said:
I played Doom while sitting in my dad's lap so he could show me what buttons to push.
That's... So cute...

Geek. All the way. I don't understand math jokes enough to consider myself a proper Nerd (my girlfriend takes that prize).

I play Warhammer Fantasy & 40k, I play Magic the Gathering, I play games of every console flavor, I play Dungeons and Dragons, I play Rifts, I watch Evil dead VHS's until the tape wears out, I have a Pyramid Head poster in my room, I make costumes, I make puppets, I belong to Gorillaz fansites, I read Lovecraft, Tolkien, Rowling, L'Engle and things from the Black Library, I wear Gears of War Cog-Tags and Brutal Legend t-shirts, have a comic book collection, I still think Legos are cool, I hang out in a hobby shop helping people paint minifigures, and I post on this site.

Seems like all the ingredients for a total Dork, right? Here's the difference, I have a job, I am getting a higher education, I have a loving girlfriend, I go hiking and biking and boating, and I am quite social. Therefore, I call myself "Geek." An effective dork.

Damn, I just said a lot of nice things about myself. Here, I'll say something mean: I'm a greasy, atheist, music elitist. There.
 

Buchichu

New member
Apr 2, 2010
87
0
0
I've always thought of myself as a Geek. Man, I remember watching that show "Beat the Geeks" (which was awesome, btw, can't believe it hasn't been revived after this recent geek revolution) and being able to keep up with certain Geeks, like the movie and TV ones. They also had guest geeks and I beat the hell out of the Star Trek and Beatles guys.

Pretty straight forward really, since I was a kid I loved videogames, cartoons and anime, Star Trek and comics and now that this subculture hasn't only become more accepted, but mainstream, I can delve even deeper into my geek roots. I had a crush on Wil Wheaton back when we were both 16...now he's become some sort of geek god online and I couldn't be happier :)
 
Apr 28, 2008
14,634
0
0
Tehlanna TPX said:
I played Doom while sitting in my dad's lap so he could show me what buttons to push.
Holy shit... so did I!

We would take turns moving/shooting. Ah... good times.

OT: I'm probably some weird combination. Honestly, I don't care, I'm happy being whatever.

I like games, cartoons, anime, interested in D&D but could never bring myself to play it, understand and throw out many geeky/nerdy references, and all that good stuff.
 

Zeromaeus

New member
Aug 19, 2009
3,533
0
0
I'm pretty sure dork means penis...
Anyway, I'm a nerd. 100% nerd. I could do your math homework while I tell you a very detailed synopsis of the entire Ultimate Marvel experience, then beat you at Street Fighter, as Dan Hibiki.
 

Mechsoap

New member
Apr 4, 2010
2,129
0
0
a dork is a rather insulting term in my ears, and geek a bit to philosophical so i call myself a nerd since it would best describe me
 

Notthatbright

New member
Apr 13, 2010
169
0
0
A nerd is a person with strong understanding of technical fields with little to no understanding/interest in social grace.

Example: A computer nerd lives in his basement and writes programs all day. He knows Unix, Linux, and posts on messageboards. If he is seen at Technical events, it is awkardly and not a good experience interacting with others.

A geek is a person wtih a strong disposition to technical fields but may or may not have understanding of social graces.

This person could love gadgets, might be into programming, graphics, heck, even comics, art, movies, or theater. They have an above average insight into technical related fields and will gush about them when asked. They can blend into crowds with little trouble, and while they might not personally prefer a social setting, they know how to act when in one.

A dork is a person with some disposition to technical fields but with little to no understanding of social grace.

Example: A gamer who doesn't come out of his room/basement. Above average interest in technical subjects, but lacks the further knowledge to make him a nerd.

I am a Nerd in regards to computers, programming, hardware, and Gaming. I am a geek when it comes to Comics, Scifi, Books, and Costuming.
 

CrashBang

New member
Jun 15, 2009
2,603
0
0
I never hear the words geek or dork used any more so I guess I'm a nerd because I play videogames (obviously) read a lot of comic books and love sci-fi. But like many nerds today I'm not socially inept, love metal and have a lot of friends. I got annoyed by Yahtzee's rant about the evils of the moniker of 'gamer' because I like being called a gamer but I think nerd culture as a whole is a lot more mainstream, judging from the successes of films like Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim so it's not something that really affects anyone any more
 

El Poncho

Techno Hippy will eat your soul!
May 21, 2009
5,890
0
0
I have been called a geek/nerd but really I wouldn't say I am that much of either. I either get called them because I get something in class(although now I'm doing highers I don't have that problem any more since there is people who are smarter than me in my class now) or I get called them because I refrence games/internet jokes.

But I wouldn't say I am on games enough to be called a gaming nerd, maybe I'm on the internet a little too much though. >.<
 

GrinningManiac

New member
Jun 11, 2009
4,090
0
0
Nerd or Geek

"Dork" is an American thing, and we're British (and therefore Better)

People call me Geek or Nerd (largely Nerd, I guess, because it seems to sound more familiar to me than Geek, which sounds a bit harsh and unfamiliar in my mouth and ears)

I'm called this because I like video games and I know a lot. A LOT. It's a phenomenon my friends have commented on millions of times that I sit in a lesson, doodling and seemingly taking a nap, and yet I understand and recall a lot more than them. Also, whenever the teacher brings up a random trivia fact relating to the lesson, I nearly always understand or already know that fact. I often supply them myself.

In politics (we're doing the American system this year, which is a break from the British model, let me tell you!) I spend all lesson naming the states and placing them on the map. I can name 'em all. Actually, I want to show this off even more! I shall make a thread in the off-topic! AWAAAAAAAY!.....