Nerdiness in your daily life. Are you "out"?

[Norgy]

Definition of NERD

: an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially : one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits <computer nerds>

[/quote]

I would say slavish devotion to intellectual and academic pursuits is something to be both proud of and strive for. The social outcast thing really only matters when you're between 6-26. Once you start working, people will wish they had been nerds.

That said, I lack the devotion and stamina to be a real nerd. Like most other things I do, my nerdiness is half-assed.

[Grey Fox]

Of course it's getting on your nerves. Nerds always get on Jocks nerves. I'm sorry that all my social activity aren't trying to get laid with as many girls as possible.

Ah, the old "either/or" "nerd/jock" binary definition. Not out of high school, yet?

Being a former nerd myself, I have grounds to argue that nerd is a wholly negative attitude of self-defeat.

Let's assume that all of us here are nerds. This is a social activity. Because we somehow partake in a social activity we are not nerds anymore?

I disagree with the premise that you stopped being a nerd because you somehow found social aptitude.

[Drakken]

Yeah, but I think it is you who have it backwards - you are equating certain pursuits with being "unattractive and socially inept" - such as debating about comic books or star wars or whatever. You've swallowed the stereotype.

On the contrary, my friend. I dissociate the pursue of unattractive activities with nerdiness, hence my Vin Diesel example in my first post.

The defining thing for "nerd" is being a social inept and a dweeb, whether he is a rocket scientist or not.

[katmai]

I always thought of "nerd" as connoting a bookish academic sort and "geek" as being somebody into sci fi, fantasy, comics, etc. Considering Larch and Drakken's definitions differ from that, and from each other, it's not clear that there's any particular distinction between the two that has reached a critical mass. The words are in flux and can both be used as synonyms for a socially awkward person, but anything beyond that is likely to be misconstrued.

Edit- apparently Webster agrees with me though.

Who cares what short black dude thinks

[Malthus]

Yeah, but I think it is you who have it backwards - you are equating certain pursuits with being "unattractive and socially inept" - such as debating about comic books or star wars or whatever. You've swallowed the stereotype.

On the contrary, my friend. I dissociate the pursue of unattractive activities with nerdiness, hence my Vin Diesel example in my first post.

If all "nerd" means to you is "being unattractive and socially inept", then your position sorta seems circular, no?

Yes, being socially inept is a bad thing. So is being unattractive. I doubt anyone would disagree ... but if this has nothing to do with pursuit of certain activities, what is the point?

[Josquius]

The way I've always heard it:
Geekishness is being into sci-fi, history, and other rather nerdy persuits. It can be exclusive to one thing or cover the whole spectrum of geekdom.
To be a nerd is to be absolutely obsessed with these things and quite the social retard.
Intelligence levels don't enter into it, though of course geeks and nerds to tend to be on the smarter side of average- probally because their persuits of choice lead to reading more rather than those who are into more normal things, not any inherant superiority.

[Slargos]

In my teens I was more self-conscious about it since the nerdy clique was very small at my school and I took a lot of shit for my gaming ways.

Today? It wouldn't cross my mind to hestitate in talking about my interests if questioned on the subject, but it's not like "hey, I'm a 30 year old nerd who likes to spend his evenings playing Fallout: New Vegas" is a great conversation starter at the bar. Or at least, I have never met any female gamers that I KNOW of. 

Still, a lot of people of my age and up don't really "get" gaming as such so it's still a topic which causes some raised eyebrows and baffled questions.

[Drakken]

If all "nerd" means to you is "being unattractive and socially inept", then your position sorta seems circular, no?

How it is circular?

Socially inept and unattractive = nerd. Socially apt and at least average attractiveness = not nerd. Having "nerdy activities" comes for nothing into it, at all.

[DGuller]

It's not so much what you're saying as it is how you're saying it.  Your act seems to be too tough to not be false.

It's like Ed Anger said: the older I get, the more intolerant I become. It's less "toughness" than utter contempt for those people who remain years well passed their adulthood threshold and present as a badge of pride and honor, rather than grow out of it.

I guess my mental picture of you was incompatible with the image you're currently projecting, hence my skepticism.  I'm not convinced yet, though, and I'm not sure you're convinced either.

[Eddie Teach]

You think being unattractive is a choice? 

[Malthus]

If all "nerd" means to you is "being unattractive and socially inept", then your position sorta seems circular, no?

How it is circular?

Socially inept and unattractive = nerd. Socially apt and at least average attractiveness = not nerd. Having "nerdy activities" comes for nothing into it, at all.

Because somehow, somewhere, the stereotype that nerds are those "into" certain activites figures into it - and everyone knows it. Even you. 

Hence your quote upthread:

This "nerd pride" bullshit is getting on my nerves. What's so attractive in remaining social outcasts debating on comics or Star Wars all day long, what's the mystique in it?

Also, the whole basis of this thread.

[Drakken]

You think being unattractive is a choice? 

Unless you are deformed as Quasimodo, being unkempt, ungroomed, and styleless is a choice. If you are physically ugly as a mook, dress sharp and compensate.

[The Larch]

Having "nerdy activities" comes for nothing into it, at all.

How funny! Those activities are precisely what I'm talking about and what the object of the poll is. So knock it off or open your own thread to discuss it there.

[Malthus]

You think being unattractive is a choice? 

Careful. You are inviting a "sediction community" manifesto. 

[Drakken]

You think being unattractive is a choice? 

Careful. You are inviting a "sediction community" manifesto.