Sometimes people will call me a nerd and I'll respond that I'm more of a geek than a nerd. Then they'll say that those are the same things- I just smile and explain the differences to them. Of course there is a lot of overlap.
* Geeks read science fiction, nerds read fantasy. * Geeks play video games, nerds play Dungeons and Dragons.
I tell people these are the two biggest differences that can be used to determine one's geekiness versus their nerdiness.
What are some other differences?
Posted by Sean Monahan (Member # 9334) on :
The Nutty Professor character on the Simpsons is a geek.
The Comic Book Guy character on the Simpsons is a nerd.
I kind of think of a geek as having more value to society; more redeemable qualities.
Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
And dorks are the ones who try and differentiate the two?
Geeks use linux and Nerds own Macintosh products?
Geeks get PS3's (to install linux man, Its off the hook) and Nerds get Wii's?
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Geeks are interested in cool stuff nobody else is interested in. Nerds are interested in lame stuff nobody else is interested in.
Posted by Ginol_Enam (Member # 7070) on :
I always figured that geeks were Urkely smart kids who carried calculators in their pockets and such.
Nerds are the people who are far too interested in Star Wars, Star Trek, video games, "speculative fiction," etc.
Dorks are the ones with no redeeming qualities. They're interested in the stuff not even nerds are interested in, not very intelligent either socially or academically.
That's what I say.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Yeah that was another one I've used before calaban.
Geeks use PCs or linuxes (degree of geekiness), nerds use Macs.
Posted by MEC (Member # 2968) on :
Geeks bite birds' heads off. Nerds are small sugar candies. I'm not going to say what dorks are.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Shawshank: Yeah that was another one I've used before calaban.
Geeks use PCs or linuxes (degree of geekiness), nerds use Macs.
Wouldn't the plural of "linux" be "linuces"?
And does asking that make me a geek or a nerd?
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Maybe a dork?
Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
I had no idea that "dork" was apparently 60's slang for (male genitalia).
I associate "geek" with computer/math/technology and "nerd" with obscure history-related fields, similar to the sci-fi/fantasy comparison.
Geeks and Nerds are smart, Dorks are not.
Posted by Elmer's Glue (Member # 9313) on :
I'm with Papa Moose on this.
Geeks went to see Star Wars at midnight with their friends. Nerds waited for a week in a pathetic Chewbacca costume to see Star Wars.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
quote:Originally posted by Papa Moose: Geeks are interested in cool stuff nobody else is interested in. Nerds are interested in lame stuff nobody else is interested in.
I think Pop's got it.
Posted by The Flying Dracula Hair (Member # 10155) on :
As either, I re-submit for non-geeks/nerds that there is no difference.
Posted by NotMe (Member # 10470) on :
I strongly disagree with the sentiment that geeks use linux and nerds use macs. Nerds are the ones who consider themselves "windows power users" and think that HTML is a real programming language. People using macs are typically doing it for geeky reasons (for me, this is unix compatibility combined with better support for commercial software than linux) or for reasons that are completely foreign to most nerds and geeks (ie all the artistic stuff).
In general, I agree that Papa Moose said it best. I'd add though, that geeks (even those living in their parent's basement through their twenties) still tend to deal more with useful stuff than nerds.
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
I always kinda fancied myself a geek, or a computer nerd, if you will. I always kinda used 'nerd' to describe a more general idea, and geek was specific towards technology.
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
Hm. my thoughts are rather reversed from everyone.
I think of nerd as the mathematician calculator wielding, D+D playing person. While a geek is just socially awkward not necessarily with intelligence implied
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I agree with Starsnuffer's definition. I guess I had it backwards.
Posted by BlueWizard (Member # 9389) on :
Geeks are eccentrics who are into unusual things and shun 'Pop' culture as being an intellectual wasteland.
Nerds are hyper-intellect tempered my no common or applied sense.
Geeks either don't want to be 'cool' or else they think they are and it is everyone else that is uncool.
Nerds don't think they are cool and rather than shun 'Pop-cool', they want it, but don't stand a chance of getting it.
So Geeks shun society and society shuns Nerds.
Keep in mind that you can be a geeky-nerd or a nerdy-geek.
A dork is someone who is hopelessly uncool, even thought they have all the trapping of generic shopping mall 'pop-cool'. They know how to be cool, but they aren't cool enough to pull it off.
You heard it here first.
Steve/BlueWizard
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Is it just me or is Geek the new Chic?
It seems like it is to me. That it's suddenly a lot cooler to be a geek- or at least faux-geek.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
That's what happens when the geeks grow up and populate the world.
And the rest of the world ends up either working for one, or using 12 gadgets they developed.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)