quote:

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Originally posted by JonHecht:
You are a geek, not a nerd.

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I agreed up to this point. I consider "geek" to be a superior title to "nerd," though I recognize that the usage in pop culture seems to be migrating away from my interpretation. I think geeks are people who write literary papers on comic books, and nerds are people who brag about their SAT scores. (And a dork is someone whose pants are too high, whose zipper is down, and who creeps out everyone, male or female, who tries to interact with him or her.)

Anyway, I salute you in your geekiness. That is very cool.
 

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Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Icarus:

quote:

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Originally posted by JonHecht:
You are a geek, not a nerd.

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I agreed up to this point. I consider "geek" to be a superior title to "nerd," though I recognize that the usage in pop culture seems to be migrating away from my interpretation. I think geeks are people who write literary papers on comic books, and nerds are people who brag about their SAT scores. (And a dork is someone whose pants are too high, whose zipper is down, and who creeps out everyone, male or female, who tries to interact with him or her.)

Anyway, I salute you in your geekiness. That is very cool.

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To the best of my knowledge, that's still the commonly accepted intepretation of geek vs nerd vs dork.

Or maybe I'm not as young and hip as I thought I was.
 

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Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
It may be a regional thing, eros. Where are you from? The westerners I have discussed this with seem to consider nerd to be the preferable title.
 

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Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
 
Originally from Hawaii, been in Seattle for the last four-ish years, so I'd like to think I'm pretty western.

Unless, of course, by western you mean cowboys & frontier exploring, in which case...what?
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
To me:
Geek = Someone who is technologically knowledgable. As in a "computer geek".
Nerd = Non-technological pursuits. School, books, masses of facts, essays, chess etc.
Dork = A somewhat humourous term for people who are somewhat unusual in something they do. As in "Ha, you're such a dork!"
Gnork = All three mixed together.

I know this is subject to much debate, but that is my personal interpretation.

People who are somewhat 'socially awkward' (with all that follows) I call just that. Many nerds and geeks are very socially apt. I wouldn't usually use "dork" in a particularly derogatory way (see above) so the social aspect doesn't apply.
 

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Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
By "western" I was trying to find a non-specific way to say "Utah." (Non-specific because I really don't know how accurate my observations are.)
 

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Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
 
Geeks can be cool.

Nerds can't.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
That is an awesome paper idea, Joldo. I wrote my adjunct paper for Hon. Classical Epic on the Alien movies (this was pre-AvP..though I could've worked it in pretty easily, I think).

-pH
 

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Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
I wrote a paper, which I later ended up presenting at a conference, arguing that Star Wars (the original trilogy) fit all the criteria of an epic.
 

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Posted by Billy Joel (Member # 5357) on :
 
I find Geeky to be cool/acceptable things outside the standard basis of interest, while nerdy is awkward things outside the standard basis of interest.

For example, programming games in your free time can be geeky, programming tax programs in your free time can be nerdy.

Going to comic-con: geeky.
Going to comic-con as your avatar from a MMORPG: nerdy.
Going to comic-con as a furry: very nerdy.

Nathan doing an Interpretive dance: geeky
Nathan doing an interpretive dance while wearing orange tights: nerdy.

LAN parties: geeky
LARP parties: nerdy

Going to a Ren Faire: geeky
Engaging in an impromptu argument with a knight from the joust over the politically correct use of the word "wench", and meaning what you say: nerdy.

Writing cryptograms that are based off of binary: geeky
Actually carrying out a conversation non text based in binary: nerdy.

Arguing that Picard was better than Kirk: geeky.
Arguing that Kirk was better than Picard: insane and nerdy.
 

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Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Billy Joel:
Arguing that Picard was better than Kirk: geeky.
Arguing that Kirk was better than Picard: insane and nerdy.

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Very nicely done!

I salute you:
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
Reasons to hate hatrack. #21:

Debates about geeks vs. nerds vs. dorks and debates about who constitutes geeks and nerds and dorks. Also, any involvement of Star Wars and / or Star Trek in such a conversation.

Signed,

Spoilsport

P.S. (humph.)
 

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Posted by Billy Joel (Member # 5357) on :
 
Honestly, you should hold such debates with a grain of salt. And, as a side note, denying that star trek and star wars has no relation to geeks, nerds and dorks is beyond silly.

I guess if you were offended, I don't understand why. And if you are saying what you did in a tongue in cheek kind of way, keep in mind I am very bad with picking up that sort of thing, so feel free to have a laugh, but don't feel too proud.
 

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Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
 
Reasons to hate hatrack. #22:

.... .... .... .... What?

Signed,

Spoilsport.
 

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Posted by HegemonsAcolyte (Member # 1468) on :
 
When you have completed the paper and it has all been marked and done with, could you post it here? I have a friend who is a really big Sandman fan and I am sure she would like to read it.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
I wanna read it, too!

-pH
 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
That's iffy, posting it here. I'd have to check it out. This is my IB extended essay (basically, GIGANTIC research paper for the International Baccalaureate progrem to get my diploma) and posting it online is a definite no. I'll see if I can e-mail it to a few people who want to see it. My final draft will be in, let's see . . .November.
 

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Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
Yeah, um, can I get in on that paper-sharing action? As the classicist currently studying (among other things) Greek tragedy, I'd love to see what you have to say. It sounds absolutely fascinating.

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Re: the whole geek/nerd/dork thing, what does trying to relate Lucretius to football make me?
 

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Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
 
A nerd

I once wrote a thesis paper arguing that dystopian/apocalyptic films were, at the core, existential comedies.
 

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Posted by Mig (Member # 9284) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Launchywiggin:
Geeks can be cool.

Nerds can't.

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quote:

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Originally posted by MyrddinFyre:
A nerd

I once wrote a thesis paper arguing that dystopian/apocalyptic films were, at the core, existential comedies.

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That is awesome.

When I was in 10th grade, I wrote a paper about how Ender's Game encourages violence because it "purifies the human spirit," I believe is the phrase that I used. And makes you a better person. Then the next semester, I wrote a paper about how Ender's Game and 1984 both have the underlying message that if you fight the system, all you do is make it stronger. So don't fight the system. Ever. I thought the papers went together quite nicely. And apparently that teacher still uses them as examples of spectacularity for her students, which is a really nice "screw you" to the "pH is evil and violent and wants to shoot up the school" administrative camp. Yeah, I admit it, I'm still bitter.

-pH
 

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Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
 
Which is more geeky/nerdy; the paper, this thread, the arguement over geeks and nerds, or the Note Organizer and Word Processor Outlining Tool advertised at the bottom of this page?
 

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Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
 
All I got was a lousy ad for a T-Shirt.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris Bridges:
I don't see the study of Sandman as geeky or nerdy -- c'mon, he won a World Fantasy Award for it -- but that's just me.

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He won the World Fantasy Award for it -- how geekier/nerdier can you get?
 

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Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
 
And to think, all I did was write an essay comparing "Dead Poet Society" to "Catcher in the Rye." It was the last portion of my English Comp course exam. I took the entire exam in ten minutes (long story). And somehow got an A on the exam. I used to be really good with my creative writing. Have even been told to take courses in college. However, I have no strong interest in it.

BTW, I usually fall in the category of DORK. I'll even admit to being one. Nerd, no. Geek, no.
 

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Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
JohnHecht, I know you're dying to tell us your SAT score . . .
 

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Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
 
I myself scored a billion on the SAT. Could have scored a billion and one if it wasn't for that stupid word association "geek is to dork, as nerd is to _____."
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
I got a two billion.

-pH
 

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Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
 
I once wrote a paper on the linguistics of Klingon. That was exciting.
 

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Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by pH:
I got a two billion.

-pH

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