Accepting Nerds/Geeks/Dorks that do not look Stereotypical

[geK0]

Sort of how I had always imagined Sherlock Holmes looks like.

I am also a Shelock Holmes fan... or rather a Dr Watson fan...! I read the books years ago, when I was young, and you always connect more with a first person character in a story. So Watson is my favourite!

Honestly, I didn't even notice your user name when I pointed that out.



OT:

I'm just a short guy who has long hair and looks about 6 years younger than his actual age. There's not much about me other than some of my shirts that looks 'gamer', more people mistake me for a high school pot-head; but I don't think people are too surprised upon discovering my obsession...probably more surprised when they discover that I'm 21, not 15 (dating will be less awkward when I start to look 18+)

 

[Vault101]

le snip

Honestly while I don't look the part, I rarely actually want to socialize with out and out geeks because most of the time I feel unbridled contempt for them. I dislike putting all my eggs into one basket as well. I know that due to your job you must know some non-geeky folks so why not see if they are kool and the gang?

I hate the insular nerd concept of all your friends being geeks, of fantasizing about going out with a gamer girl who plays DnD or WoW. But then again I am kind of weird about this.

So I don't find resistance due to not wanting to spend time with most of these individuals.

I used to really hate the "steryoype" of geek..like "stop being so fucking pathetic and giving the rest of us a bad rep"

but anyway...

I guess peopel need a group/identity to belong, I mean somone might be freinds with only geeks because they share a common interest and can share it with each other, and particually if your not into "normal" stuff like partys or whatever

of coarse that said having a wide range of interests is good and you should never write people off based on arbitray things liek their interests...

I did have a "geek supiriority complex" moment when my older sister lamented the fact that I didnt want to go see a movie with her...to which (in my infinate wisdom) I said "you want to see a movie? go see the godman movie"

she said she didnt want ot see it on her own and that "defeated the purpose" of going to see it..to which I said

"so its less about the movie and more about "somthign to go do" I said then I eather said or implyed "if you want to be alone, miserable and do nothing this weekend thats entirly up to you"

then she just hand waved it in that stupid "omg your soo WEIRD I dont get what your saying" way...and accused me of being closed minded (this bothered me)

all I was trying to say was...somtimes in life you dont have anyone to see a movie with..so you go on your own...because fuck them /bitterness

......sorry that rant went off on a tangent

 

[Zen Toombs]

Seriously, people, Captcha is sentient and toying with us! Why do my warnings go unheeded?!

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlord. pleasedon'teatme

But I don't have any trouble with non-stereotypical geeks/nerds. If someone says they are, they probably are. It has everything to do with actions, not looks. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Zen Toombs]

-tangent-
......sorry that rant went off on a tangent

I noticed you tend to do that a lot, Vault.
See you 'round the forums!

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Sort of how I had always imagined Sherlock Holmes looks like.

I am also a Shelock Holmes fan... or rather a Dr Watson fan...! I read the books years ago, when I was young, and you always connect more with a first person character in a story. So Watson is my favourite!

Honestly, I didn't even notice your user name when I pointed that out.

Haha! I didn't think you had...! I was slightly confused for a bit!

 

[Vault101]

-tangent-
......sorry that rant went off on a tangent

I noticed you tend to do that a lot, Vault.
See you 'round the forums!

.....I DO NOT

....do I?..hmmm

 

[Charli]

Ok, so this is a problem that a few of us have, but no one seems to really talk about. Probably because it's a problem few of us have.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am a geek. I've been one since I can remember. However, I never looked the part. Not really. My core group of friends known me forever, and seemingly 'overlook my condition'. But when I'm introduced to their geek friends... those other friends seem to take forever to accept that I'm really who I say I am. They treat me like some type of undercover agent trying to weaken their defenses or something.

Ever since high school, when I first really embraced what I was, I was always met with incredulous distrust. When I say I was actually subjected to literal exams on geek culture, I mean it. It was explained to me months after they finally realized I was who I said I am, that a friend told me that because of how I look, they weren't sure that I wasn't some jock who was trying to lure them to an ambush or something.

I get it. I'm a 6'2 black guy whose source of income is personal training. I also devour Warhammer Lore, I will put my trivia of Red Dwarf against anyone, 'I liked video games before they were cool', and I probably watch more cartoons than is recommended by the Surgeon General.

So, I'd like to hear from both parties. To my other non stereotypical looking geeks, do you find that you have a hard time fitting in at first? Do you get confusion from both sides of the fence: Geeky and non Geeky? Have you had to do anything extreme to eventually gain trust?

And those who are the stereotypical geeks, do you find that you have a hard time accepting those who do not fit the stereotype? If so, is there a reason?

Captcha: Watch me.

Seriously, people, Captcha is sentient and toying with us! Why do my warnings go unheeded?!

Similar boat, different gender, when I'm with a crowd and I target out my fellow nerds, I just get the 'look' as well. I'm told I look like I belong more in a mall giggling with some dumb bitches strutting around with shopping bags, so I always try to actually play some games or bring my laptop with me when possible to diffuse the tension and actually provide a demonstration.

But really I shouldn't have to, the second you talk to me about something that interests me I conduct word vomit-itis and can't shut up about Lore.

But the bottom line is, yes, I have been on the receiving end of the 'look'. It sucks, and I try really hard not to pre-judge based on appearances.

 

[Muspelheim]

I'm not sure if I classify as a geek/dork by looks. Honestly, I look more like someone you'd see standing somewhere next to Lenin on grainy old photos. Give me some more years, and I could pass for a stereotypical absent-minded professor.

Noone's exactly surprised I've got some nerdy interests, but it's not usually the first thing I'm accociated with.

 

[Trivun]

I've seen some gorgeous geeks. A few of the people on here are very sexy too and I wouldn't think they were into geeky stuff by looking at them.
It just goes to show you can't really judge a book by it's cover.

Would you say I'm one of those? ;D

Haha, seriously though, I wouldn't say I fit the stereotype. I try to go for an air of 'indie rocker', but with Beatles hair (it just naturally grows that way and I don't like using hair gel to make it spiy at the front, my preferred style, since it just leaves my hair looking greasy and nasty ). Still, I've never really had that problem. I seem to be one of the sort of people who drifts easily from one social group to another, and I tend to keep my geekiness away from my non-geek friends, not deliberately but just that it never really comes up. As for my geeky friends, they don't really fit the stereotypical description either.

That being said, here in the UK there has always seemed to me to be much less emphasis placed on specific social groups compared to the USA, with jocks and nerds and goths and whatever. Except for racial groups, who do seem to hang around together and not mix much - kind of a shame, but oh well...

 

[chaosbedlam]

I have always had a hard time fitting in with the general geek culture as im rather fit and can't use big words to save myself, and for some reason just can not remember usless facts about anything im interested in. i cant tell you the names of the bands i listen to, nor who directed and wrote my favourite epp of star trek. so when i get the geek test i always fail even though i really enjoy all the same things. to be honest i find it easier being the nerd who hangs with the jocks than it is being the jock who hangs with the nerds.

 

[Loner Jo Jo]

I think I look like an average white girl, but soon after I open my mouth, it's pretty obvious I'm a geek. Also, I certainly looked more geeky in my younger days, so never really had that problem. On the other hand, my boyfriend is one of those people who were transients almost in high school. He said he had friends in just about every clique you can imagine. However, he is most definitely a geek. He has his obsessive streaks about knowledge and genres, and he plays Magic: the Gathering. Of course, me being a kindred soul and all, I'm just like, "One of us..." XD

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Admittedly I was a little surprised to learn that my 6'2" black guy rugby captain friend also devours Skyrim like a pro... I did get over it withing about 5 minutes though. So either I can adjust very quickly or the people you were talking to were from the 'us and them' crowd.

 

[pipsiscool]

Huh this is really funny. I was just talking to my best friend, or at least one of my better friends, today about something just like this. He admitted to me that when we first met he was terrified of me because I played football (he actually did to but never really saw the field) and had a reputation as a really hard hitter. But then we talked a lot once we found out we both loved programming and boom, insta-friends. So I guess in a way yes I did have trouble fitting in because the people I wanted to be friends with, Geeks if you will, feared me. (which is ridiculous. I'm a total wimp, I love cats, hate scary movies, watch a cartoon about pastel colored pony's and now only play golf for a sport.)

 

[kurupt87]

Hah, by everyone on the Chemistry course I was on. Those were fun times.

 

[Powereaver]

Im with the people who say.. what you look like doesnt make you a geek.. ive seen geeks of all shapes and sizes.. and tbh i probably dont look like a geek either because im tall solid and beardy! People would be more likely to run away from me in a dark street than think i was a geek

 

[broadbandaddict]

I think that most people see me as a pretty normal person but as soon as I get asked "So what do you like to do?", "What are you working on?", etc. it pretty much goes out the window. I'm 5'10" or so, a little overweight, and look, according to everyone else, about 4 years older than I am. I have really nice broad shoulders, not sure if it's weird to say that, so most people think/have thought that I played some type of sport.

I am the nerd from my close group of friends (the others being; alcoholic, unlucky bastard, and complainer. ). I am also the mechanic of the group, do-it-yourselfer, and all round repair guy. I have no idea why most of us are friends cause we have not very much in common. I used to worry about what people thought of me but this sums it up nicely:

If you enjoy what you do then enjoy it. Don't let others perception of you matter. Next time someone tries to "Quiz" you just ask what difference it makes. Don't go out of your way to prove something to others. Every time you tell them something about yourself you define yourself as a single group. Be an individual and do what you love.

Just do that and you'll be fine. Who gives a shit what other people think anyways.

 

[Chalacachaca]

I never fit into anything, and since I have barely change the way I dress (I still wear my 10 year old flannel shirt from my grunge days) I don't think people can tell.

Although I leave a few hints, since I have some gaming related t-shirts.

 

[Cpu46]

I really don't have any stereotypical look about me so unless I go out with my Nyan cat shirt or 1up hat nobody really catches on. My timid demeanor tends to give me away though.

Spoiler: Picture is slightly dated and arted up by my sister.