Are you a geek?

[ar81]

1.Are you a geek?
2.Define what you understand as "geek".
3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

[adaira]

1. No
2. exceptionally smart; tunnel vision on particular subjects, appertain to each individual geek; excessive interest in subjects perceived as juvenile (comic books and/or characters, sci-fi films (star wars/trekkies...)); uncomfortable/clumsy in romantic situations and social settings outside their own little sphere. Great example: guys on big band theory! I absolutely love them!!
3. Pros: brains are always nice ; expect major accomplishments in life; satisfaction of knowledge...finding that favorite subject and enveloping yourself in it.
Cons: struggling with comfort level in particular settings. overcoming stereotyping...lol

[CoolBee]

1. Just a little bit - women are rarely geeks in the way men are..

2. Knows more than is good for you about certain techy type stuff like eg when the ISP DNS servers seem to have a major glitch (like last night ) knows how to patch through a proxy in Myanmar to get google or whatever - concur re niche interests - I have the entire Xena Warrior Princess back catalogue and The Water Margin

3. Pros - can fix things yourself without having to wait for a 'man' to do it for you
Cons - men get unnerved when their chick is telling him how to patch his internet connection through to Myanmar so he can get google eg last night and says things like 'hang on while I pause my torrent client as it's eating bandwidth'

(PS it was Myanmar only because I had the working proxy server settings right to hand).

[cacheborn]

The Wikipedia defines geek as "a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc."

According to this definition,

1. I am not overly obsessed with any particular subject, but in those that interest me, I do like to go deeper. Does that make me geek? you tell me
2. See above
3. pros : u get to know a variety of subjects, cons : I think socializing is one of the biggest obstacles 'geeks' face.

Having said that, I am always uncomfortable with labels. Individual personalities rarely fit them.

[Marko500]

Originally Posted by ar81

1.Are you a geek?
2.Define what you understand as "geek".
3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

1. No I am not

2. Maybe someone who has technical knowledge and loves technical stuff. And act a little differently than most people

3. I do not see why any of this I said (the technical skills and a different behavior) was something wrong.
A good thing is that you know something about what you have passion, and this is a very important thing in life.

Having said that, I am always uncomfortable with labels. Individual personalities rarely fit them.

I agree with this cacheborn

[aggie]

i started out as a geek...the guys in school that didn't ask me out always asked to borrow my homework, or i played chess with them in study hall.

i wish i had stayed a geek.

i wasted a lot of years trying to "fit in" with other crowds, be popular, be cool, and it usually brought misery.

if big bang theory is at all accurate, i think it shows that geeks can succeed and do very well in life. they can enjoy themselves without worrying about what others think. they have the capacity to be very passionate in life. and if they can really have that comraderie, even better.

besides, i think intelligence is very sexy

[brendannz]

I'm about 15% nerd, 45% geek and about 75% dork.

But the fact that I don't care makes me cool

[SarahJaynee]

Intelligently yes Im a Geek.
I never read fiction and commend myself in being a dilettante in Quantum Mechanics, mathematics, algorythms, science theory......
I don't own a TV but will watch 1 or 2 shows per month at a friends house
This alienates me in conversation especially amongst women but I Love myself and the way I am.
I am highly sociable and make friends easily enough, I have an abundance of confidence and can walk into any situation and strike up conversations so that's not a typical "geek" type.
Why people assume that 1 label is appropriate for every aspect of a Life is naive and limiting. A person can and should be many many things in many different areas.

[OlderWiser]

Originally Posted by ar81

1.Are you a geek?

Yes.

Originally Posted by ar81

2.Define what you understand as "geek".

Geeks form a certain subset of the human experience. They tend to have focus in areas other than the mainstream, often things like science, computers, or technical fields, but you can really be a geek of anything, including art, language, history, you name it. Geeks learn really early on that they don't fit in with the mainstream, and many eventually learn to leverage that and become part of a counter-culture. Geeks are also, generally speaking, very smart. So, smart plus different equals not caring much what other people think.

Originally Posted by ar81

3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

Pros:
Not part of the mainstream (and therefore not bound by it)
Generally pretty smart
Able to focus in interesting ways that most people seem to be unable to do

Cons:
Not part of the mainstream (which can be painful, especially as a child)
Unable to play a lot of the social games required by certain professions (schmoozing does NOT come naturally to geeks!)
Frequently misunderstood and stereotyped by those in the mainstream

Just for the record, the idea that all geeks are romantically disadvantaged is not true. It's true that SOME geeks are socially awkward, but it's certainly not true for the majority. Geeks, especially those who have taken up the topic of sex as one of their areas of interest and focus, get laid a lot more frequently and in a lot more unusual ways than most people would expect.

[Cool Chick]

Am I a geek?

Oh my yes.


Definition of geek per Urban Dictionary ...

"A Geek is a very knowledgeable person who sometimes act in a manner which can be considered odd or abnormal. They also know that they are slightly odd or abnormal and fully accept this. Because they accept this they don’t try and be normal like nerds do and ultimately “fit in” better than nerds and so are seen to have better social skills.

Geeks are superior to all other people because the have the knowledge and social ability to get to where they want to be.

geek, pick on them and youll regret it for the rest of your life"

Pros and cons of being a geek:

Pros: Exhibiting multitudinous amazing qualities such as wit, charm, and panache; they prove that intelligence is super white hot. The brain is the biggest sex organ you know Having the wherewithal to apply knowledge as well as wear the "geek" label with pride and using self deprecation as tool for success, makes geeks more human and approachable. Never underestimate a geek.

Cons: When younger; misunderstood and sometimes vicitimized. An Uber Geek however will take these experiences and turn them around in early adulthood. Geeks don't get laid in high school but in college and adulthood (after embracing idiosyncrasies) they get ALL the play ... and the good jobs too

[OlderWiser]

Originally Posted by Cool Chick

Geeks don't get laid in high school

I did. And throughout my life, despite being a geek (and, yes, even a nerd!) I never lacked for sexual or romantic companionship. I mean, I'm a Trekkie, and I played D&D, and history is one of my passions, plus I used to work as a technician at an ISP. I'm definitely a geek (and a nerd).

Originally Posted by Cool Chick

after embracing idiosyncrasies

Yeah, that's the key, right there. You have to just plain old accept that your eccentricities and idiosyncrasities are part of the experience. Once you embrace them, it gets a LOT better.

It also helps to find a geek-friendly sub-culture and hang out there, if you're socially inclined. There are plenty that are very accepting, including some sexually-based ones (BSDM, for example).

[Gene]

I'm a geek. If I have to explain what that means you might not understand the explanation.

P.S. I've been a geek since the 70's or at least that is when my geeky-ness achieved consciousness.

[Cool Chick]

Originally Posted by Gene

P.S. I've been a geek since the 70's or at least that is when my geeky-ness achieved consciousness.

Me too. Seeing as I was born in '72 ... so new question ...

Is geekiness innate? Nature versus nurture?

[OlderWiser]

I think geekiness is at least partly innate. It seems to be a certain personality type, and it definitely runs in families.

[bluelighth]

1. Yes, last time I checked.

2. A Geek is a person. If he thinks he's a geek, he is. If others think he's a geek and he doesn't, he isn't. Generally - geeks have areas of interest/passion and don't hide that.

3. Pros - Generally - geeks tend to find friends based on their personalities and interests, and less based on social "class", so its a more "real" friendship.
Cons - Might have periods(generally, early on) where they feel lonely, may be bullied.

[The Unconquered]

1. Yes.
2. My fave definition, as it doesn't specify a subject or specialization: "Geeks are intelligent, enthusiastic people full of curiosity and passion." -- Ellen Spertus, Winner of The 2001 Sexiest Geek Alive contest.
3. Pro: I'm in low supply AND high demand with male geeks.
Con: Watching people I trained being promoted over me at work, because management thinks as soon as they promote me, I can find a job somewhere else because I'm so competent. I like it here!

[Conan Stevens]

I'm a geek though I don't look like one or act like one or smell like one.

Being technically literate no longer has the social stigma attached that it once had.

Also labelling yourself is dangerous as putting yourself in preconcieved boxes.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Cool Chick

Me too. Seeing as I was born in '72 ... so new question ...

Is geekiness innate? Nature versus nurture?

I think some of both nature nature and nuture but more skewed towards nature. YMMV

[Trezker]

Originally Posted by Cool Chick

Definition of geek per Urban Dictionary ...

"A Geek is a very knowledgeable person who sometimes act in a manner which can be considered odd or abnormal. They also know that they are slightly odd or abnormal and fully accept this. Because they accept this they don’t try and be normal like nerds do and ultimately “fit in” better than nerds and so are seen to have better social skills.

Geeks are superior to all other people because the have the knowledge and social ability to get to where they want to be.

geek, pick on them and youll regret it for the rest of your life"

I like Urban Dictionary. That definition sounds just right, and fits me.
I'm not very social with mainstream people, but that's just because I haven't tried it much. I mostly hang with other geeks because non-geeks just aren't interesting. Geeks can be interested in anything, every geek has a different set of interests and they explore their interests deeply. Why would you want to hang out with someone who only has shallow knowledge in the same subjects as 80% of the population?

[The Unconquered]

Originally Posted by OlderWiser

I think geekiness is at least partly innate. It seems to be a certain personality type, and it definitely runs in families.

I hear health factors are 20% genetic/80% lifestyle. I'd put a similar percentage for geekiness, especially in women. Don't believe me? Walk down the toy aisle: Lots of the little boys' toys are electronic and/or builder, etc. -- awesome stuff that I wasn't allowed to play with as a kid. (So I'm going to make up for lost time. ) Then walk down the little girls' toy aisle. The closest electronic "girl's" toy I found one year was "Rub Barbie's magic genie lamp, and it magically lights up!" And then people wonder why girls don't do math or science. Duh. So many girls are taught from childhood that science and math are "boys" subjects, even if they are good at them and enjoy them.

[CoolBee]

Originally Posted by The Unconquered

So many girls are taught from childhood that science and math are "boys" subjects, even if they are good at them and enjoy them.

So true.

I remember in 1973 our chemistry teacher got some newly created textbooks and all the photos of kids doing good stuff were of boys and the only photo showing a girl doing something was blowing bubbles. He had a bit of a rant and asked if any of us girls in the class thought we were better than that. I SO desperately wanted to put my hand up but none of the other girls did and there was this boy in the class that I fancied so...

[ar81]

Want some nice science and math stuff?
www.orbitersim.com

[Oddity]

Originally Posted by ar81

1.Are you a geek?
2.Define what you understand as "geek".
3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

1. Yes and no. But mostly yes.

2. "Geek" and "Nerd" switch and/or meld meanings every once in a while (at least in my neck of the woods). It can either mean simply a fanboy/fangirl of certain genres, movies, et cetera, or someone exceptionally smart, particularly in a certain area that requires a lot of specialized knowledge, like computer stuff, math, or science. For the record, I'm the fangirl type, unless "art geeks" count.

3. Pros: There are more and more geeks around these days, so the social stigma isn't as intense as it used to be. Geeks tend to have some pretty useful skills for their careers of choice.

Cons: Social awkwardness in some cases (including mine ._.), people who still think the social stigma is as big as it used to be, and a lack of uniqueness now that we have generations weaned on "geeky" technology.

[Cool Chick]

Originally Posted by Conan Stevens

I'm a geek though I don't look like one or act like one or smell like one.

Pray tell what a geek "smells" like? I might like it

[The Unconquered]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

So true.

I remember in 1973 our chemistry teacher got some newly created textbooks and all the photos of kids doing good stuff were of boys and the only photo showing a girl doing something was blowing bubbles. He had a bit of a rant and asked if any of us girls in the class thought we were better than that. I SO desperately wanted to put my hand up but none of the other girls did and there was this boy in the class that I fancied so...

Yep, yep, yep. I've heard stories like that, and I have a few of my own. My opinion is that it should be up to the person to decide whether they like the subject in question. That's a decision that the person himself/herself should determine by what's between the shoulders, not what's between the legs. Of course, when you're a kid and you're taught otherwise, it can take a long time to realize that you've been had by others' stereotypes of what you can do based on things beyond your current level of control.

[Henri J]

Originally Posted by ar81

1.Are you a geek?
2.Define what you understand as "geek".
3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

1. I would classify myself as a semi-geek.

2. Sci-Fi, Prefer Solidtude and am Awesome at computers (not really though...)

3. I love who I am. I learn stuff fast. I take action.

Hard to answer these questions. I guess when I see a geek I think of some dude drinking cola, eating chips, never showering and playing world of warcraft, which I am not, so I like to still call myself a geek and think I'm awesome...

[Gracestars]

Originally Posted by Conan Stevens

I'm a geek though I don't look like one or act like one or smell like one.

Being technically literate no longer has the social stigma attached that it once had.

Also labelling yourself is dangerous as putting yourself in preconcieved boxes.

Holy Moly, Muscle Man! You sure don't look like your stereotypical geek!

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Gracestars

Holy Moly, Muscle Man! You sure don't look like your stereotypical geek!

Maybe when they kick sand on him at the beach he has the ability to return the favor.

The above line was mentioned because in my youth Charles Atlas had ads in the backs of many magazines with a picture of an under muscled man having sand kicked in his face with the ad offering him a course on how to become muscular.

[Conan Stevens]

Originally Posted by Gracestars

Holy Moly, Muscle Man! You sure don't look like your stereotypical geek!

That's because I grew and changed, not just physically.

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by ar81

1.Are you a geek?
2.Define what you understand as "geek".
3.State the pros and cons of the condition of "being a geek" (even if you are not a geek).

Yes... a spiritual geek.

I have found a certain level of happiness within myself. So whatever I do, whether it's be alone for a week straight and not talking to anyone, or going to a party, I'm basically always at a certain level of happiness no matter what (although emotions fluctuate of course).