Poll: Do you consider yourself a nerd?

[Deleric]

On the Nerdometer, I'd rank at about Fantasy Fanatic. You know, DnD and such.

I'd rank a bit higher if I watched more Star Trek

 

[Stabber1010]

I am unsure what the new term for atheltic-people-who-are-not-assholes is.

Someone who has a girlfriend *zing*

I'd call myself a nerd. Top of my class, always got my nose in a book.
And I don't use wikipedia as my dictionary

 

[SamuelT]

I don't watch sports, I practice archery, I game a lot, I haven't got a girlfriend for over 3 years now (Sniff), I'm at the top of my class, I have memorized wikipedia, I have pens and pencils in my trouserpockets.

I do say that I'm a nerd.

 

[Izerous]

With constant drunken house parties and 4 day long raves I'd say no.

However with liquid cooled computers and being a software developer that swings me yes.

In the end I spend more time at work or at a computer than anything else so my final vote was yes.

 

[soren7550]

God, I'm a complete nerd. I keep referencing games in all my classes (it's come to the point I'm going to be expelled if I do it anymore.). Hell, I only knew that today is the 48th anniversary of the US launching a man into space because of Mass Effect. (Alan Shepard is the namesake for Commander Shepard.) I think I think about video games more than I do about "important things".

Also, because of the episode of the Simpsons when Lisa thinks she's getting stupid (one of the older ones) I was able to figure out the NY Times puzzle-thing where they had numbers connected to their mirror half and you had to go figure out the next dual number/symbol.

 

[IamQ]

No I don't, but some of my friends are telling me that I'm speaking a different language once I talk about games. Then again, they say the same thing when I talk about math, or anything that isn't skateboarding or sex.

 

[dormin120]

I'm such a nerd, DND is the best, and in a close second comes games like left 4 dead, ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

 

[IxionIndustries]

I do, as I have ventured to every kind of geek there is; Science nerd, Art nerd, Gaming nerd, D&D nerd, RP nerd, WoW nerd (Yes, I am ashamed of it..), and finally I do believe that I am going to be a philosophy nerd in highschool.

Also, I'm socially backwards..

 

[Nargleblarg]

Yes I am a nerd and let me say this IF YOU ARE ON THE ESCAPIST YOU ARE A NERD! quit lying to yourself those who said no.

 

[Ghost]

i love video games, so yes. but does a nerd have to enjoy reading and anime?

 

[AllHailTheAltmer]

Absolutely. I qualify on every level; social retardation, glasses, geeky clothes (football jerseys, band t-shirts etc.), terrible hairstyle, reclusive, anti-social, spends several hours a day at computer, play a lot of video games. Yup, nerd. And proud of it.

 

[Iron Mal]

I am a nerd according to the most concise definition avalible of it. I play games (and have done since a) I was a child and b) before it was fashionable to do so), I used to play Warhammer 40k (Space Marines rock, anyone who says otherwise shall be publicly executed by yours truely) and presently play DnD (I am usually a Paladin), most of my T-shirts have game related phrases written on or logos from games and I posess (and frequently read) a large number of graphic novels.

Other features of nerdiness I have are: social awkwardness, the closest contact I have had with my girlfriend is via MSN and Xbox Live (doesn't help that she's in another country), I posess both a light beard and medium length hair, I wear sunshades indoors and at night time because I think they look cool, I wear bright hawaien (I don't know how you spell it) and oriental shirts all year round, I write on a gaming forum and have posted reviews online, I still watch cartoons sometimes, I go to college and I am very much sexually repressed (although, in all fairness I am English so what more do you expect?).

So to answer your question, I am a nerd (I could even run for the position of Alpha nerd if I really felt like it).

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I would say so, but apparently some of my friends in university and the general public disagree.

Friend: You can't be a nerd!

Me: Why not?

Friend: You're black!

Me: ...

Although I do sports, so does that put me between a nerd and a 'jock'? (always sounds foreign to me, do any Americans use that term any more?)

Yes, I believe we do.
However, "asshole" also serves the same purpose as calling someone a "jock."

yes,asshole does the job pretty well. as for non-asshole jocks? uh... no,i think asshole does the job. jocks are the really good sport players,team stars and stuff, so mostly only the team star "jocks" are assholes. at least at my school.

Fair enough. Also I think you messed up the quote, as I was the one who said the original post, not MaxTheReaper.

 

[Samuel Cook]

Wikipedia says, "Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests rather than engaging in more social or popular activities."

I don't socialize much.. and would rather listen and play music than go out with friends, so in a way yes I am. But in the more intellectual side of things, hell no.

 

[Bat Vader]

Which part fits you?
The "I know a lot of pointless trivia" or the "I never go anywhere."

I know a lot of pointless trivia and I also never go anywhere. I am not just a gaming nerd but also an anime, star wars, lord of the rings, comic book, Shakespeare, Poe, and classical music nerd.

 

[roboosh]

no. Geek at heart maybe but not a nerd.

 

[westx207]

According to wikipedia I'm not. Well, not really. I do passionately pursue intellectual activities, but I also play lead guitar in a band (a heavy metal/hard rock/classic rock band mind you, no "nerdy" music... I think.) and I'm a skateboarder. So that makes me what, a socially compatible guitar-skate-o-nerd?


...sorry.

I absolutely mean no offense at all by this... but most nerdy people I know are quite into their metal, so I've always associate it as such :/

Agreed. Nearly everyone I know who self-identifies as a nerd is into metal and pursues it passionately, ala the Wikipedia definition.

Some of them are also very much into trance.

 

[Spacelord]

I was a really weak and strange kid when I was young. I also had a lot of hobbies that required much more brain power than the average person possesses.
But then I got much bigger, got rid of my acne, and I've also learned a certain aptitude to function in certain social situations, to the point that I may be considered 'charming' on occasion.

However, the nerdy pastimes continue to hold great appeal to me, to the point that I more consider myself a nerd than my appearance or behaviour would suggest.

TL;DR Yes.

 

[DerpyDerpyDerp]

Yes. Mostly because I play Warhammer 40,000 though, not because I play video games.

 

[Scambug]

[...]I'm kind of an all-round light nerd, since I know shallow trivia on just about anything (Magic, Wow, Runescape, gaming overall, techno, computers...) No hardcore nerd though.[...]

If you even know that Runescape exists...
...you know you're a huge nerd
.
.
.
Some others off the top of my head:

If your job description says forum administrator...
...you know you're a huge nerd

If you've ever turned your laptop on in a tent...
...you know you're a huge nerd

If you've ever been late to work because of a flamewar...
...you know you're a huge nerd

If you think Ubuntu is too user-friendly...
...you know you're a huge nerd

If you've ever referred to one of your recent blogposts in a real life conversation...
...you know you're a huge nerd

If you're deciding whether you're a nerd or not based on a wikipedia entry...
...you know you're a huge nerd

Hell, if you edit wikipedia...
...you know you're a huge nerd