Poll: Nerds. Movies and RL

Ulvai

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OK, I think I am a nerd. Computer Sciences student, main interests besides that include pure math, quantum chromodynamics, astronomy and video/PnP games.
You would expect (from experience gathered from the movies and such) either a short/overly tall skinny guy with long hair and glasses or a fat guy. Appearance not withstanding, all of them would be physically weak, socially awkward, completely incapable of defending themselves.
So. If I am 2 m tall, 100 kilos heavy, athletically built guy who can break a jaw with a single punch, and the reason that I don't have many friends is not that I can't befriend any one, it's the fact that I am a jerk, and people quickly get tired of me. Can and should i still be considered a nerd?

Edited in: Ok, backbone of the question is What defines a nerd? His interests and mental abilities or his appearance and physical abilities. Or may be a nerd is just a swear word that doesn't have any demographics behind it? Or, may be it varies from culture to culture?
 

Bobic

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lee1287 said:
You should be considered a jerk. Specialy if you say "athletically built guy who can break a jaw with a single punch." Soo, yeah, you seem like a douche and you've only typed a paragraph. Sorry.
It's a shame you're going to get put on probation. That was pretty funny.
 

Ulvai

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Bobic said:
lee1287 said:
You should be considered a jerk. Specialy if you say "athletically built guy who can break a jaw with a single punch." Soo, yeah, you seem like a douche and you've only typed a paragraph. Sorry.
It's a shame you're going to get put on probation. That was pretty funny.
Will he? I'm against it. A man has his opinion. I can respect that. The jaw breaking thing I do only in self defense. Or when I'm drunk!
He also might have misinterpreted what i wrote. I mean, It's not like I'm going out in the evenings and break jaws for fun. But I CAN do it, I know.
 

Bobic

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Ulvai said:
Bobic said:
lee1287 said:
You should be considered a jerk. Specialy if you say "athletically built guy who can break a jaw with a single punch." Soo, yeah, you seem like a douche and you've only typed a paragraph. Sorry.
It's a shame you're going to get put on probation. That was pretty funny.
Will he? I'm against it. A man has his opinion. I can respect that. The jaw breaking thing I do only in self defense. Or when I'm drunk!
This site tends to be a bit tetchy when it comes to users insulting other users. Then again, if you're being so cool about it it shouldn't be an issue. Maybe.
 

d4rkxy13x

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I find that a nerd is a person who spends over 9 hours a day playing games/fixing electronics for fun, but I also think that a nerd would also have a group of two or three friends with whom he has lan parties and plays DnDs (nothing against it).
 

Ulvai

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d4rkxy13x said:
I find that a nerd is a person who spends over 9 hours a day playing games/fixing electronics for fun, but I also think that a nerd would also have a group of two or three friends with whom he has lan parties and plays DnDs (nothing against it).
I have 4 friends who are in my guild in DDO, so we run in party, sometimes for 12 hours straight, and I am DMing a DnD campaign, while another runs GURPS campaign for us. Incidentally they all play straight in that stereotype I described in original post. It is partly why I created this topic: I am filling left out.
 

Nietz

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Ulvai said:
d4rkxy13x said:
I find that a nerd is a person who spends over 9 hours a day playing games/fixing electronics for fun, but I also think that a nerd would also have a group of two or three friends with whom he has lan parties and plays DnDs (nothing against it).
I have 4 friends who are in my guild in DDO, so we run in party, sometimes for 12 hours straight, and I am DMing a DnD campaign, while another runs GURPS campaign for us. Incidentally they all play straight in that stereotype. It is partly why I created this topic: I am filling left out.
After reading the first post, I wasn't really sure of what my answer would be.
With this post however, I know. You're a nerd, quite the beef-stick of a nerd, but still a nerd. Welcome to the tribe. :)

[EDIT] As for the big question: "What makes a nerd." I can't really answer... I guess it's just participating eagerly in "nerdy" activities. The old stereotype doesn't really cut it anymore. For the most part, not many people could guess that I'm a nerd when they see me, but when they see my huge game collection, they're convinced.
 

Lawnmooer

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Well after checking out the definition of nerd on an internet dictionary it seems a nerd is someone who is stupid, unattractive, physically weak or socially inept.

I don't use the term myself, but often get called it because I know alot about computers and games and go to other peoples math classes for fun. So I believe that it is most commonly used to refer to peoples intelligence and hobbies (Due to the sterio-type of the pale skinned, poorly dressed computer geek that most people think of)
 

d4rkxy13x

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Ulvai said:
d4rkxy13x said:
I find that a nerd is a person who spends over 9 hours a day playing games/fixing electronics for fun, but I also think that a nerd would also have a group of two or three friends with whom he has lan parties and plays DnDs (nothing against it).
I have 4 friends who are in my guild in DDO, so we run in party, sometimes for 12 hours straight, and I am DMing a DnD campaign, while another runs GURPS campaign for us. Incidentally they all play straight in that stereotype I described in original post. It is partly why I created this topic: I am filling left out.
Don't fill left out ! (grammar joke). In that case, you have nothing to fear, you're a hardcore nerd !
 

Tipsy Giant

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A nerd is just someone with a dedicated interest that takes up the majority of their spare time.

Guy who works out a lot = Gym Nerd
Guy who watches sports a lot = Sports Nerd

I hate this idea that to be a nerd you have to like certain subjects, you can be a nerd about anything, i'm a music nerd

oh and it's rather adolescent and immature to talk about being able to break jaws, we are not impressed, because we aren't 17 year old girls in a parking lot.
 

Ulvai

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d4rkxy13x said:
Don't fill left out ! (grammar joke). In that case, you have nothing to fear, you're a hardcore nerd !
Aw, dammit. Guess I should not rely that much on spelling software too, huh?
 

Nietz

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Tipsy Giant said:
A nerd is just someone with a dedicated interest that takes up the majority of their spare time.

Guy who works out a lot = Gym Nerd
Guy who watches sports a lot = Sports Nerd

I hate this idea that to be a nerd you have to like certain subjects, you can be a nerd about anything, i'm a music nerd

oh and it's rather adolescent and immature to talk about being able to break jaws, we are not impressed, because we aren't 17 year old girls in a parking lot.
I do agree with the general message of your post, about how anyone can be a -nerd. But I have to say that I don't really mind being seen as one, there are a whole lot worse things one can be called than a nerd.
 

Ulvai

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Tipsy Giant said:
A nerd is just someone with a dedicated interest that takes up the majority of their spare time.

Guy who works out a lot = Gym Nerd
Guy who watches sports a lot = Sports Nerd

I hate this idea that to be a nerd you have to like certain subjects, you can be a nerd about anything, i'm a music nerd

oh and it's rather adolescent and immature to talk about being able to break jaws, we are not impressed, because we aren't 17 year old girls in a parking lot.
Again, people, it was said to counter the stereotype of a "nerd" character in fiction not being able to defend himself. PS: I'm starting to think there was a better way to put, but I guess it is too late.
 

Tipsy Giant

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Nietz said:
Tipsy Giant said:
A nerd is just someone with a dedicated interest that takes up the majority of their spare time.

Guy who works out a lot = Gym Nerd
Guy who watches sports a lot = Sports Nerd

I hate this idea that to be a nerd you have to like certain subjects, you can be a nerd about anything, i'm a music nerd

oh and it's rather adolescent and immature to talk about being able to break jaws, we are not impressed, because we aren't 17 year old girls in a parking lot.
I do agree with the general message of your post, about how anyone can be a -nerd. But I have to say that I don't really mind being seen as one, there are a whole lot worse things one can be called than a nerd.
Me either, like I said i'm a Music Nerd, love everything about it and i'm always trying to learn something new about the art
 

Tipsy Giant

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Ulvai said:
Tipsy Giant said:
A nerd is just someone with a dedicated interest that takes up the majority of their spare time.

Guy who works out a lot = Gym Nerd
Guy who watches sports a lot = Sports Nerd

I hate this idea that to be a nerd you have to like certain subjects, you can be a nerd about anything, i'm a music nerd

oh and it's rather adolescent and immature to talk about being able to break jaws, we are not impressed, because we aren't 17 year old girls in a parking lot.
Again, people, it was said to counter the stereotype of a "nerd" character in fiction not being able to defend himself. PS: I'm starting to think there was a better way to put, but I guess it is too late.
how about just stating that although you love geeky pass times, you do not meet the typical physical characteristics
 

JoJo

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The problem with a popular culture term such as "nerd" is that it doesn't have a proper definition, it's more of a blurred idea that depends on your individual perpective.

Take me for example. On the one hand, I'm intelligent, sometimes play video games, watch movies alot, do a Biology degree, am interested in politics, move and speak quite awkwardly and I'm skinny, so some would consider me a nerd. On the other hand, I don't have glasses or long hair, I wear normal clothes, I also do karate, I often go out drinking and occasionally smoking with mates, I do volunteer work and I have an average number of friends.

I don't know where I'd fit, I guess I'm somewhere in the middle :p
 

lee1287

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Where do you live btw? Because when i picture the USA schools ystem i se, Jocks, Cheerleaders, and geeky/nerdy people. That's it.
 

Nickolai77

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You may as well ask what your typical American, Jew or politician is like if your asking what a nerd is like. What constitutes as being a nerd is very broad.