Editor's Note: Geek, Dork, Nerd

[theaceplaya]

I was bullied like that too. And in 4th grade I snapped as well and pushed back. And when he tried to push me again, I dodged to the side and he fell over. This kid was a jerk so everyone laughed when he fell over in the cafeteria.

To the young geeks out there now, you're welcome. People like me and Russ and almost all the members of this site suffered so you don't have to nowadays. And we most likely would do it again in a heartbeat. I know I would.

Probably a little overdramatic, but oh well.

 

[Buchichu]

But back on topic:
OK didn't we just get told not to use the word "gamer" by like 3 different people on this site because it was pidgeon holeing us and making us outcasts, how is nerd, geek or dork any different?

I call shenanigans!

whoa, who said we can't use the word "gamer"? It's called owning who you are and not being ashamed of it. I'm a proud gamer and a geek and anyone who says there's something wrong with that has issues with their *own* self-esteem, that has nothing to do with the rest of us.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I am a geek. I have always been a geek and I think I will remain a geek. I never joined a sports team, I got serious about school, I've never drank alcohol and I only moderately care if the Roughriders win the Grey Cup or not.

I am never going to change who I am. I too had a bully experience and I too was humiliated. But that is behind me. The bully now works part time in an Esso late at night, in the toughest part of Saskatoon. I don't hold the grudge and I think he has moved on from being the jerk too.

So, wearing my Geek to the Core badge on my profile on the Escapist, I continue to live my life as I like it.

Screw you society. I'm not an anarchist but I don't like being told who I should be.

 

[The Stonker]

I will rather be a geek then a "cool guy".
Because I know that is not who I am.
For I am UBERWAISNER.

 

[Eren Murtaugh]

I know who Dr. Phil is, and for your information, I don't watch a lot of TV. I watch CMT in the mornings, and turn on PBS Kids for my nephews. I knew he was from the X-Men movies, but I never knew his name. Sorry I don't fit your bill of a TV obsessed mindless idiot. I read. But, I wasn't asking you[i/] to forgive me for anything. If all you're here for is to try and call "bullshit" on my story, maybe you shouldn't be here. Believe what you will, I;m not gonna defend myself unnecessarily against someone who's gonna try and shoot down everything I say to them.
.

LMAO!

my my, you sure went from "Feel free to flame and hate P.M. me. I deserve it..." to insanely defensive pretty quickly. Maybe I was wrong about you, you seem to have the same kind of personality traits as a typical bully - able to dish it out but just can't take it.

you seems to think you've grown up since your childhood days but believe me, you haven't. Some free advice: if you're going to hang out on the internet freely offering up personal information and participating on message boards, learn to grow a thicker skin.

Karma's a *****.

2 points on your retort. 1, you didn't hate or flame on me, you called into question my entire story because of some arbitrary character I didn't know, pushing me instantly to the wayside because I didn't fit your bill of a reformed person.
2, I can take it as well as anyone, as long as it's not some belligerent, stupid attempt at
trying to disprove an entire story someone has because they don't know one person. That's like you playing a game, and someone saying to you "That's bullshit, you never played the game because you don't know the name of this guy who has nothing to do with that game, but is in fact an entirely different character from some odd, unrelated topic." It makes no sense whatsoever, and is an inanely stupid reason for not believing someone about anything. Try not jumping to conclusions, and I'll try to care about your opinions.

 

[Pariahwulfen]

There's even a growing trend to "own" that moniker and make it a rallying cry.

For what it's worth, I've been flying that flag proudly since I first started playing 40k back in the Rogue Trader days at the tender age of six.

High 5 for 40k!

But back on topic:
OK didn't we just get told not to use the word "gamer" by like 3 different people on this site because it was pidgeon holeing us and making us outcasts, how is nerd, geek or dork any different?

I call shenanigans!

I believe this should answer your question rather well. http://www.bjccreations.com/geek/vol1/comic.php?17

 

[Greenshoes]

I guess I was destined to be pretty nerdy since the day my parents named me, my name is an anagram for "a nerd".

 

[Catalyst6]

Hmm... most of the Escapist goes on and on about not using the term "gamer", "geek", etc., then Russ Pitts tells us that it's a badge of honor... I smell unrest!

OT: I've never really had an issue with it, as being a geek/nerd was always fun. I never really got "picked on"... not really sure why.

 

[vxicepickxv]

I wasn't really picked on for my hobbies, or what I did. I was picked on because I was basically the freak show. I was 6'4"(at age 12), weighed 180 pounds, and didn't get all the trendy clothes like everybody else. I didn't really have any friends until about the 7th grade, when I met a guy who had their family move in from Ohio.

We ended up just hitting it off, and he seemed pretty normal for the most part. Turns out we were born on the same day, and just seemed pretty similar. I did the whole "gifted" math thing for a while, until I just decided to coast through high school.

I don't even know where I went with that. I know that I've changed, and gaming has gone from a private secret shame to mainstream. It's okay to have a Wii in your living room, or an X-Box 360, or PS3.

 

[Neferius]

Man... FUCK passive-aggressiveness!
I remember how in middle-school there were always some vicious pranksters, bullies, and a lot of bigger kids; but I always stood-up to all of them and didn't take no shit from Nobody.
Yes, that did get me into trouble more often than not, but I realized from an early age that living in fear is no way to live.

So when a bigger kid came-up to me demanding for something, I'd just punch them in the gut before getting lost in the crowd. And when someone would stick-out their foot to trip me on the Hallway, I would just stomp on their toes and casually stroll along ...and if they'd call me out for it I would just be like -Oh, sorry! I didn't See you There

 

[ImpostorZim]

I think I'll proudly be myself till the day I die. I wanna be the loser grandpa who spends his weekends out on the porch with his PSP out on his lap.

 

[Mushushu]

yea i was in a very unique situation in my jr. high school, i was the only person in the special ed class without a wheelchair, so most of the severely mentally handicapped hated me, and then because i was in special ed the regular bullies/cool kids picked on me. i suffered through that all with heavy doses of experimental medication and lots of trips to the library to hide. i finally snapped on the main bully one day though.

he came at me as usual with a big grin and some kinda attitude, he threw his stuff on the ground and as the first punch connected with me i noticed he had a skateboard. he hit me a couple more times and i grabbed for it and started swinging it at him. i hit him good in the face with the edge of it, then i proceeded to hammer away at his leg. one broken kneecap and leg later i hit him in the chest with his board and walked home.

his family tried to sue us, but our school had a security system installed that showed most of every incident he started and i lost. we took it to court and had charges filed against him. we made them pay for the court fees and didnt ask for any money.

i met him again last year and he almost shit himself when i tried talking to him.

 

[Lorechaser]

EadI was very much a nerd up until high school - gifted classes, dorky clothes, lack of girlfriend etc. I didn't care o it didn't affect me too much. I had a bully that hated me but I didn't really know what that meant and he never did much. However I was lucky because 1. I was friends with s lot of tougher cooler Judd because we all grew up together. One of my friends was in the bully's crowd (mostly they were kids who failed grades).

On top of that my schools were very academically focused and such. The kids who did poorly were kinda the pariahs (Plano TX).

In high school I found theater design and guitar playing and became edgy instead.

And now I'm back to geek. Quite happily, too.

 

[headphonegirl]

I wear the term geek like a badge of honour. I'm happy being called geek or nerd.

 

[joinchoir]

A newish program is sweeping the world of education called the Alweus anti-bullying program. Schools have gotten a lot better at knowing what to do with bullies. Where it is implemented well, it has made a world of difference to the little versions of us older geeks.