Nerds and Geeks: the Distinction

Why not, because we're one or the other and likely both in some way, right? (I won't assume that the casual can withstand my rants so by process of elimination...)

Nerds, geeks, dorks, queers, freaks, and so on... They're all kind of used synonymously and not exactly with actual ignorance or negativity. A lot of words in slang use are 'misused' or 'abused' and... well, I'm not exactly a word purist myself so it doesn't really irritate me much at all. Overuse is really the only crime and that's down to my gripe with repetition of any kind. I'm of the mind that you can use any word you damn well please as long as it's working to create understanding. It might be limited in understanding (inside jokes and experimental use are not a crime) but unless it's complete gibberish (and reeking of malignant elitism), go for it.

So! That being said, I still find definitions to be worth knowing. Know it to bend it, a personal policy of mine. Understanding a word's etymology, its anatomy and parts, is crucial to maintaining or enhancing the understanding.

Let's Google these bitches to start...

geek

ɡēk/

noun

informal

noun: geek; plural noun: geeks

1. 1.

   an unfashionable or socially inept person.

   • a knowledgeable and obsessive enthusiast.

     "a computer geek"
2. 2.

   US

   a carnival performer who performs wild or disgusting acts.

verb

verb: geek; 3rd person present: geeks; past tense: geeked; past participle: geeked; gerund or present participle: geeking

1.

engage in or discuss computer-related tasks obsessively or with great attention to technical detail.

 

nerd

nərd/

noun

informal

noun: nerd; plural noun: nerds; noun: nurd; plural noun: nurds

1. a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious.

   "one of those nerds who never asked a girl to dance"

   synonyms:

   bore; More informaldork, dweeb, Poindexter, nimrod, geek, drip, loser; techie "the nerds running the world's technology are certainly getting the last laugh"

   • a single-minded expert in a particular technical field.

     "a computer nerd"

      

Ouch, dictionary... you're not pulling any punches with the first definitions, are you? These definitions are certainly why dedicated fans are hesitant to embrace these words, but also why I keep pushing the positives hidden within.

 

And in this case, at the sad bottom of the list. Let's top it up, shall we?

 

Where geek is concerned, the obsession/passion is actually the distinction I can agree with, but I've seen language often deviate geek away from the 'computer' limitation. In fact, stripped down to its best, a geek is simply passionate about their hobbies, not one in particular. You can 'geek out' about a particular area, but it's not a restriction or even necessarily deep. I'd say that geeks are simply engaged in where they direct their attention and while they CAN be thorough, it's the simple act of being absorbed in it that counts. Geeks writing fanfic would be more inclined to experiment with possibilities than insist on facts.

As for nerd, again, bottom definition of a single minded expert in a technical field. Again, scratch technical since a fandom doesn't require technical base. Nerd is largely a designation given to the hyper-detail-oriented, the ones that DO develop single-minded obsessions. When you talk with the typical 'nerd' they are the ones most likely to get irritated or unable to resist correcting you when you contradict a fact. They might be a nerd in several or all areas they are interested in. Nerds writing fanfic would, of course, tend to be opposite of geeks; they would support facts more strongly than endeavor to bend or take liberties with the material.

The 'socially inept' part is always misleading in these. They aren't always general population level social but since passion and precision are areas that take a lot of devotion with time, they are often unaware of what hyper-social types would consider general knowledge. They are out of YOUR loop, but get them around their fandoms and good luck seeing any signs of awkwardness (or even getting them to shut up). Unless they're engaging in consuming those fandoms together, in which case, it can get pretty serious and silent. Yeah, they might not give a shit about fashion and be less than meticulous in hygiene, but this doesn't mean they're all uncoordinated slobs. 

So yes, when I use nerd or geek, my top meanings are usually this:

Geeks- passionate fans that enjoy participating in the possibilities and the enthusiasm.

Nerds- critical fans who file details, stricter to canon but still engaging in theoretical development of that area.

As far as what fandoms or interests or expertise qualify, I'm not sure you can exclude anything. You can have doll geeks/nerds, veggie geeks/nerds. Expertise and/or passion for a subject often gives people similar qualities that keep within the context.

In my experience, geeks are more likely to be accepting of new fans, simply because of the flexibility of their devotion. Nerds have the tendency to display more elitism and largely because they catalog and prioritize their devotion. A generalization nonetheless since I've known prickly geeks and chill nerds, so it really comes down to the individual in how sensitive they are to other fans.

I don't mind explaining myself when people seem to be offended or not on the same page. I'm really not insisting that my definitions even become the norm if someone thinks otherwise. I steer clear of labeling anyone directly until they know how I feel about certain labels and understand with more than my tone what is meant by it.

It's important that we create context even when a word is rather set in its definition, one that hasn't budged since it began. When we take liberties, it still means we should angle to drive the context. Poetry is quite different, just like music, where rhythm, rhyme, and structure is sometimes the higher or only priority rather than strict communication. If you read Eminem lyrics, they can come off as really silly, cheesy or stupid at times, but when you hear the way he chains and presents them, you suddenly understand why it's so important to prioritize what he does with them.

Words are everything to a writer. It can be intimidating to accept the responsibility of a risk to the rules, but worth it to establish what they mean to you, to guide the reader to that meaning as simply and interestingly as possible. I get when you're out to be a word-nerd (the rhyme is irresistible by itself) but it's worth it to infuse it with a little geek. Get passionate and experimental with the precision, even if it means keeping a journal to track what you play with on the side.

Nerd, geek, whatever you are, you can make it mean whatever you want. Every day, we redefine what it is to be man and woman, simply by being what we are regardless of the standards.

And fuck the socially inept part. Tell my grandma that I'm socially inept and you'll piss her off by making her laugh when she spits soda through her nose. She'll admit I'm weird or quirky or thoughtful, but my social choices are not due to ineptitude. They're just not limited to acceptability.

So, what's your favorite fan assignation? Do you like geek/nerd or are you sick of the stigma and go for a word like fan, aficionado, connoisseur, master-chief (if this is where you stop, you're a Halo geek/nerd in DEE-NAI-YAL!)? Drop your prestigious titles below!