"Not to be a nerd, but..."

[SnipErlite]

I guess it sounds better than saying "To be a nerd,......."

 

[irmrbrian]

Im a nerd with a jock family

 

[curty129]

Well, I feel that nerdness is something to take pride in, especially on a site like this. So if you can out-nerd someone on a site with lots of nerds, you are an awesome nerd.

That still won't get you laid though..

Don't worry. We're the masters of cyber sex.

OT: I know I am a nerd, and even if i want too, it's not as if i can change it.

 

[Kajt]

Yes, I'm a nerd.

And I freaking love being a nerd.

 

[OmegaXIII]

I'm a geek, nerds know useful stuff

 

[kementari]

I've been seeing this phrase and variations of it all over the Escapist lately. Whether commenting on an article or just discussing what books we're reading, there are always a few of us that want to preface our (usually not very nerdy at all, actually) opinions with an acknowledgment that we just might come off as nerds.

Frankly, I don't get it. This is The Escapist, people. By virtue of being here, we're pretty much assumed to be nerds.

So my question to all users is this: Do you, in fact, feel that you are not a nerd? If so, what about yourself leads you to this conclusion?

People who are hardcore nerds tend to either shun me a little or treat me as an oddity because I only have a semi-superficial understanding of computers and do a lot of stuff that nerds find a bit too "cool" for their taste such as play in bands, go on tour occasionally, run a record label, socialise with a lot of women etc.

On the other hand, people who are in the music scene or the social scenes where I hang out definitely feel like I'm nerdy, because I openly admit to liking computer games, wasting time on internet forums and have a fairly full understanding of nerd culture and memes. So I get shunned a bit there too. I guess I don't fit in anywhere but then that's fine, I'm quite comfortable with that.

I think if I met you I would love you. Regardless of gender or sexual orientation...just sayin'.

Goddamnit, all these guys falling in love with me is very annoying. Dont get me wrong - it's flattering and all, I appreciate the thought, I really do... but can't you people be female?

Some of us are! :< Keep looking, yours is out there.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

I'm a closet nerd. Some of the things that I amuse myself with when I'm on my own are considered nerdy i.e. play computer games, read sci fi and fantasy novels, have an interest in rpg 'fluff'. But nobody else knows about it...if you tell them I'll kill you!

 

[SextusMaximus]

Yeah, I'm definetly a nerd. I enjoy programming and spend most of my days gaming or on the computer (at least when I'm not in school). I like to think I have a fairly active social life. But that's not true at all.

 

[Blank Verse]

Well, if consistently doing something defines who you are, and doing it well defines the excellence of your character...

...I am a great, great nerd.

 

[Mikkaddo]

Firstly, I'm a nerd, full on if I had bad eyesite I'd go for glasses with thick black plastic frames for certain . . . well, maybe not but I'd have at least one pair at home just for "the lulz"

But honestly, gaming is still very much nerdy. There are those that aren't "gamers" that play games, mostly things like rockband, or madden or something accessible like that. But you tell a person who plays a little rockband here and there if they think gaming is nerdy and start rattling off things about say . . . Chrono Cross, or Final Fantasy, or even Painkiller? yeah . . . they'll call it nerdy.

It is nerdy, but the problem is unlike in the 70s it's not a BAD THING to be a nerd anymore, just like the social movement back around the same era of 70s or 80s (please please PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong on this, my memory isn't exact on the date) it stopped being a social kiss of death to say you were gay. That doesn't mean there isn't still a HUGE stigma about the subject.

But gaming is still nerdy, very much . . . and it will be for some time yet untill the generations that never had gaming or didn't have it untill they were in their 20s or so have all passed on and our generation is the one in the rocking chairs talking about "the good old days" when games had polygons sharp enough to cut someone's throat open.

 

[Kasawd]

I DM for Dungeons and Dragons.
I play alot of video games.
I read Sci-fi.
When I was in High school, I could easily pull 80% on most assignments.

Yeah, I'm a nerd I suppose, by virtue of mentality. It's sad that some folks associate being a nerd with physical aspects.

 

[rhyno435]

Well, I'm smart, I like video games, and I spend alot of time inside.

I don't think I'm a nerd though. I play Call of Duty and other shooters, not WoW or D&D or whatever is considered nerdy by most people.

Also, I'm smart and get good grades, but by no means do I enjoy school or like homework.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

I am all nerd, all the time.

I was got into a debate with a friend of who was better, Kirk or Picard (We settled on Sisko). Another friend and I once quoted "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" on a half hour bus ride, scene by scene.

ALL NERD, ALL THE TIME! OH YEAH!

SISKO!? Blasphemy!

Oh, and nerd here, I fully accept it. I have a group of friends, a relationship (how suprised for a moment I was), but don't go completely out of my way to hang out with them either.

 

[Fraeir]

I'm not a nerd, I'm a geek! >8U

Nerds are smart at academic (read: Useful) things, like maths, physics, chemistry, etc.
Geeks are smart at AWESOME stuff (read: Completely useless in practical terms) like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, D&D, Warhammer Fantasy/40K, Warcraft, Starcraft, Elder Scrolls, [insert whatever gaming and/or movie franchise you like here], etc.

Dorks pretend to be either Nerd, Geeks or both, but fails miserably!

Happy to be of service! *bows*

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

The "I'm not a nerd, I just play video games" mindset can probably be traced to the popularity of games like Halo with the frat boy/jock demographic. As those groups of walking stereotypes tend to be very obsessed about how they are perceived, it's important to categorically deny being nerdy in any way. Of course it's just self-deception, but then so does thinking you're awesome and not just a jackass, but that never seems to stop the stereotypical jock, now does it?

Now me, I use a Warhammer 40,000 motivational poster as an avatar - there was never any question whether or not I was a nerd. Nerd Pride!

 

[ultrachicken]

I'm a nerd, and I find it funny that stuff like iPods and cell phones are invented by nerds and are also usually carried by people who hate on nerds. Plus, the nerds who invented iPods and cell phones are making money off those assholes, so being a nerd isn't all bad.

 

[quantum mechanic]

Certainly a nerd and a geek, but not a dork, since my psychological/social problems are not generally obvious in conversation.

 

[YoUnG205]

I don't think of myself as a Nerd. (Labels are for soup cans not people).
But I guess in some one elses eyes I am a nerd

 

[Numb1lp]

Of course we're all nerds, who cares?