Are 'geek' and 'nerd' now positive terms?

[Gerald]

Campaigners in Sweden are trying to force a dictionary to change its definition of "nerd". But after two decades of "reappropriation" has "nerd" - and its sister word "geek" - now completely lost its derogatory connotations?

In the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds the rousing final speech of one of the protagonists starts with the statement: "I'm a nerd."

Its plot may be cartoonish but the film reveals a certain cultural backdrop - to be a nerd was to be socially awkward, even socially inferior. Jocks, those who were good at sport, or other socially successful groups, usually ended up winning. To turn that on its head could form the basis for comedy.

Things have changed.

No need to be paranoid,to understand this

Note: 16 November 2012 Last updated at 01:07 GMT

[August]

Nerds are still nerds. To be ridiculed and pushed around constantly,... unless one needs help with preparing for that math quiz.

[Penguin]

Alyson Hannigan!
sorry, what was the topic agaian?

[Oberon]

Nerd and a geek and proud of it. Love Star trek, Love Doctor Who, used to wear glasses (and still really should), Brony, not so brilliant at maths but scored well in the others.

Also...Alyson Hannigan...

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Penguin

sorry, what was the topic agaian?

Alyson Hannigan.

[Penguin]

Ahh, thanks!



The only reason why I am not proud that I've never watched bs like "American Pie".

[Rhodes]

Hmmm Willow!

The Doctor a nerd or geek?

I am not a geek, I am a connoisseur! (I, around 2008 or something)!

[Tchocky]

She can't act for toffee though.

Not that I'd be complaining. No no.

On topic, I think the terms have been weirdly co-opted by anyone who feels like it - "oh, I'm a Star Trek fan, such a total geek". That's not exactly how I understand it.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Half the people on this forum are geeks. The other half are nerds.
Everybody is geekish or nerdish about something.

Hmmmm, Alyson Hannigan.

[Gerald]

^

[Stealhead]

Geeks and Nerds have awkward social lives in school after that they are much more successful in life 90% of the time so it is good to be nerdy.Not counting the hipsters that try to act nerdy but really are not.

@Oberon Why dont you wear your glasses? I got over that in my junior year and have worn glasses ever since I will never wear contacts or get that laser surgery screw that.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

@Oberon Why dont you wear your glasses? I got over that in my junior year and have worn glasses ever since I will never wear contacts or get that laser surgery screw that.

Well, I'm short sighted so for the most part I don't really need them, unless I ever drove a car which given fuel costs and insurance costs isn't that likely for the moment. I used to wear them at school because I was concerned that I'd miss something on the blackboard if I didn't sit near the front.
My eyesight has gotten better over the years that I haven't worn them, much better than it used to be, so I'd have to get retested if I wanted to get another pair since my old ones give me a headache if I put them on now.
The problem with my eyes that annoys me most is the Red/Green colour blindness, it hardly effects my every day life (except perhaps making spotting aircraft in ground clutter on IL2 a bit harder) but prevents me from working on the railways which was the job I aimed for since childhood because of safety concerns. My father had the same problem, but sadly for him, he only found out in the last stages of applying for the job, when he'd pretty much sailed through all the interviews and pretty much had the job guaranteed, only to run smack bang into the brick wall at the medical and fail the whole thing. Hell of a kick in the teeth for him it was, and unfortunately it's hereditary down the male side.

[Red Brow]

The final push to make it so , was Chuck (T.V. series). Actually what I understand now is that many of the old tough types have moved into calling themselves nerds because it is now considered hip. Obviously this changes the scene. However the nerd wave began falling to pieces about the time Chuck ended. Such swings in social mechanics take place constantly except in places like North Waziristan.

[Gerald]

I think they're in Pakistan, meets the requirements as well as in the West to be a nerd or geek.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Well, I'm short sighted so for the most part I don't really need them, unless I ever drove a car which given fuel costs and insurance costs isn't that likely for the moment. I used to wear them at school because I was concerned that I'd miss something on the blackboard if I didn't sit near the front.
My eyesight has gotten better over the years that I haven't worn them, much better than it used to be, so I'd have to get retested if I wanted to get another pair since my old ones give me a headache if I put them on now.
The problem with my eyes that annoys me most is the Red/Green colour blindness, it hardly effects my every day life (except perhaps making spotting aircraft in ground clutter on IL2 a bit harder) but prevents me from working on the railways which was the job I aimed for since childhood because of safety concerns. My father had the same problem, but sadly for him, he only found out in the last stages of applying for the job, when he'd pretty much sailed through all the interviews and pretty much had the job guaranteed, only to run smack bang into the brick wall at the medical and fail the whole thing. Hell of a kick in the teeth for him it was, and unfortunately it's hereditary down the male side.

Red/green color blindness I always find that invalid because with rail signals the different color lights are in a different location so why not learn the locations? Maybe they want you to see a red signal from a long distance.Also at least in the US there are at least two people in each cab so if you miss something the other person should see it.

You can be a diesel mechanic on the locomotive engines for a rail road maybe.