Thursday, August 18, 2011

You Geek!

My friend Alex brought up an interesting question the other day. Are yesterday’s Nerds, todays Geek? Well my friends you know me, and here I have to go again and look up the word. Actually I should have done this a long time ago considering both my sons have confessed to being one. One of my sons actually makes his living working as one for the Geek Squad. So what is a Geek?

The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts."



The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no longer a definitive meaning. The terms nerd, gimp, dweeb, dork, have similar meanings as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations among these terms, although the differences are disputed. In a 2007 interview on The Colbert Report, Richard Clarke said the difference between nerds and geeks is "geeks get it done." Julie Smith defined a geek as "a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors, who thought of that secret, dreamy place his computer took him to as cyberspace—somewhere exciting, a place more real than his own life, a land he could conquer.


What does all this say and how does it relate to you? As for me, I am a nerd that depends on Geeks to get it done. I have tried to make friends with my computer but it is obvious that it does not like my nerdiness. I on the other hand have no time to mess with its constant virus updates and mood swings! I want to kick install and boot it straight out of my life. This is, however impossible. I find myself stuck here in Geek world and totally dependent. The upside is that there is a little geek in me, for I too find myself more at home in a dreamy place that is more exciting, but instead of using megabytes my world is created by ink and I am the one creating it. You Geeks will probably disagree. Did I miss something? Go ahead and let me know.


11 comments:

Stranger in a Strange Land said...

Perhaps a Geek or Nerd is just someone interested in how systms function whether it be a machine, or community, or a human being.

Normal is pretty dull and boring and doesn't get much done. Perhaps lacking in interes tor passion. So geek or nerd, their all the same to me and not a bad thing to be.

My 2 cents,
Mike.

Hart Johnson said...

oh, interesting... I generally identify with geek more, but I'm not a techno-geek-- I am a math geek--statistician by day... and I am a Potter geek (I know those books EXTREMELY well.) And I am a grammar geek--totally love words (and a map geek). I guess I tend to think of nerd as less about preferences and more about execution...

Bossy Betty said...

It's all Geek to me.

Emily R. King said...

With the amount of technology we're all using (and learning how to use) daily, I think we're all part geek.

Anonymous said...

I guess I would be more of a non electronic Geek like Hart. The mysteries of the electronic world are beyond my capacity. However I'm fascinated with the technology to escape reality as you are. So nerd of geek? I think geek would suit me best. I create my own world, as you do and live in it happily until 330 arrives and the kids come home. Then it's back to reality. haha

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'll stick with tech expert who likes to get it done!

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Yeah, what Alex said.

You are so confusing lately. What's in your diet? Just kidding. I don't really want to know. Don't you dare tell me!

shelly said...

I myself am a total techno-tard. Geek. Nerd. Yeah. That's me.

Summer Ross said...

I'm a nerdy geek I think.

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

Geeks are awesome--thankfully I married one :0) lol

Golden Eagle said...

By that definition, I think I'm a geek.