Computer Nerd......Oxymoron?

Today i was enjoying my daily routine in class, reading an OpenGL book, and drinking wawa coffee, as i always do when i have free time. Anyway, i am really into this book, so i didn't notice this cute blonde girl staring at me, at first. So i looked up at her, and she starts smiling.

When i asked her what she was smiling about, she stated, and i quote

"I never really took you to be a computer nerd."

I quickly responded with, "I never took you to care.", and the conversation was ended as quickly as it had begun. This doesn't happen often, and normally i would have forgot it even happend by now, but it actually got me to thinking....i know, brace yourself!

What is a computer nerd in todays day and age? I mean, there is a computer in almost every home, at least one, and almost everyone knows how to at least open AOL or Internet Explorer. Also, those with more than the common knowledge are given high paying or relatively easy jobs. So are we not Technicians? Specialists? Engineers?

Nerd is to me a word for someone who is considerd an outcast. Nerd was a term associated to the kid who strived to know more, who cut himself off from the world and spent hours in the green glow of his monochrome display in his parents basement all day long. Nerd was a metaphor for those who stood out for their knowledge of what was to come.

But it seems to me, until today, isn't Nerd a term as obsolete as those technologies it was established alongside of? Is nerd not a word that should hurt the heart of those who now fuel some of the technologies that the name - callers use daily and rely on?

I'm sorry if i am mistaken, but its in my opinion that the word Nerd has become an oxymoron. An obselete description of those who run the pc world. Now these "nerds" are good looking men and women who go to work in nice cars (for the most part) and help to run this technology-dependent world we have come to rely on!

Would a jock who slammed "nerds" in lockers refer to a wonderful looking woman behind a laptop as a nerd? Why no, so why us? You rely on us so greatly, we are the future, we are the present, and we are what keep your world going as it does today.

We are not nerds, we are humans. We are intelligent. And we, above all else, deserve your respect. If i am to be called a nerd, i will wear it proudly.

I, am an oxymoron.

[/RANT]

>>I, am an oxymoron.

Maybe if you drop the "oxy" part...

Poor little blonde girl...you should've at least talked to her...maybe she has a thing for nerds.

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Originally posted by -KEN-
>>I, am an oxymoron.

Maybe if you drop the "oxy" part...

Poor little blonde girl...you should've at least talked to her...maybe she has a thing for nerds.

---

i knew i shoulda dropped the ending lol. No she wasn't smiling when she said it, it was kinda a stuck up joke thing, she was laughing at me after she said it.

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Originally posted by RoD
Anyway, i am really into this book, so i didn't notice this cute blonde girl staring at me, at first. So i looked up at her, and she starts smiling.

When i asked her what she was smiling about, she stated, and i quote

"I never really took you to be a computer nerd."

I quickly responded with, "I never took you to care.",

---

Mega. Nobody, not even a pretty female, EVER interrupts computer stuff. It just doesn't happen.

I agree with Brian. I get ........y when people interupt me when I'm troubleshooting.

Look at it this way...
You're the president of the united states and you have to solve a world crisis and you ACTUALLY can do something about it personally. You're infact the only man that can. And while you're constructing your battle plan very carefully, your friend walks in asking, "Duuuuude, what topping do you want on your pizza?"

It's enough to make you want to explode.

Somebody talking about something irritangly irrelevant when I'm trying to "save the world" (fix my pc problem) is the same thing.

It seems as if you were offended by her comment... I would have taken it lightly and smiled back.

Hell, if they won't give you the time of day because you're interested in computers... they're simply not worth it.

Seriously though, don't you guys have any opinion on the user or background of "nerd" and the usage of it?

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Originally posted by Eibro
It seems as if you were offended by her comment... I would have taken it lightly and smiled back.

Hell, if they won't give you the time of day because you're interested in computers... they're simply not worth it.

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I'm not so much into her, its the lack of respect for people like us from people who use technology we create reguarly.

I prefer not to be called a nerd, but it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. Like "hacker", "nerd" is a term which has lost its true meaning over the years of misuse.

I see social outcasts every day at school; halfwits sitting in a remote corner of the library discussing h4x0ring at every waking moment. They're the dictionary definition of nerds, not me.

I really HATE the word 'nerd' because it's just used for people
who have developed a keen interest in computers.
It's really sad kids (take notice of kids because they are the
only people unadult enough to use this word) make other people
out for something because theyre different, dumber or even
smarter! Can you believe you get punished from being smart!
ITS SICK!

[rant]
yes, I agree. Punished for being smart. So I am interested in computers. Well, when I am older and am successful, I will be thanked for being smart. And when I write the software that saves the world somehow, should I still be punished for being interested in computers. I THINK NOT!

I also don't like the word nerd. The typical stereotype of a kid with glasses, suspenders, (the steve urkel look) has been belabored way too much. Just because I am into computers, and if you like the stereotype of 'computer nerd', does not mean I don't have a life. I'm at the football games, rock climbing events, and whatever else, but I am also looking towards my future.

Go ahead and call me a 'computer nerd', but may I also use the typical stereotype of blondes, and interior designers on TLC Trading Spaces. But when I have accomplished the above, I would appreciate the word 'nerd' not having a negative connotation.

[/rant]

D.com says...

Word History: The word nerd, undefined but illustrated, first appeared in 1950 in Dr. Seuss's If I Ran the Zoo: “And then, just to show them, I'll sail to Ka-Troo And Bring Back an It-Kutch a Preep and a Proo A Nerkle a Nerd and a Seersucker, too!” (The nerd is a small humanoid creature looking comically angry, like a thin, cross Chester A. Arthur.) Nerd next appears, with a gloss, in the February 10, 1957, issue of the Glasgow, Scotland, Sunday Mail in a regular column entitled “ABC for SQUARES”: “Nerda square, any explanation needed?” Many of the terms defined in this “ABC” are unmistakable Americanisms, such as hep, ick, and jazzy, as is the gloss “square,” the current meaning of nerd. The third appearance of nerd in print is back in the United States in 1970 in Current Slang: “Nurd [sic], someone with objectionable habits or traits.... An uninteresting person, a ‘dud.’” Authorities disagree on whether the two nerdsDr. Seuss's small creature and the teenage slang term in the Glasgow Sunday Mailare the same word. Some experts claim there is no semantic connection and the identity of the words is fortuitous. Others maintain that Dr. Seuss is the true originator of nerd and that the word nerd (“comically unpleasant creature”) was picked up by the five- and six-year-olds of 1950 and passed on to their older siblings, who by 1957, as teenagers, had restricted and specified the meaning to the most comically obnoxious creature of their own class, a “square.”

>>but may I also use the typical stereotype of blondes, and interior designers on TLC Trading Spaces

i might use that!

>>>>I, am an oxymoron.

>>Maybe if you drop the "oxy" part...

LMAO

I think people consider comp sci students or programmers nerds or geeks because of shows like the Simpsons. When Homer goes back to college and gets help from the nerds. So people think thats how all people who study computer related topics are like.

There are people who fit this sterotype, because they live and breathe computers. If you are doing nothing else besides sitting at a computer every spare moment you have, what are people supposed to call you besides NERD!

I think the term 'nerd' is a defence mechanism. People who haven't got a clue about computers see the world (with computers) racing away from them and they know they are being left behind. So they have to invent a derogatory (sp?) term for anyone who is interested in and good with computers.

I mean people call Bill Gates a nerd cos he spent so much of his young life playing with computers. But if you look at someone who is equally successful, but at sport, like David Beckham. He used to eat, sleep and **** football. There was a program on about him as a youngster and ALL he ever did was play or watch football, even when his mates were in the pub. But no-one thinks of Beckham as a nerd.

i have always defined nerd in my own mind as someone who is, while at the same time intelligent, also obnoxious about the knowlege that he feels makes him superior to those around him.

a similar word, geek, i define slightly differently: a person who is intelligent, usually unattractive, but, unlike nerds, is not obnoxious about their intelligence.

then there is dork. actually a slang word for 'penis,' i define a dork as a person who thinks he is intelligent but isnt, and is still obnoxious about it.

here is a simpler way to look at it:

Code:

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                intelligent  obnoxious
nerd              yes            yes
geek              yes            no
dork                no            yes

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these are just my own personal definitions, but feel free to use them as a guideline.

hmm...

reminds me of this girl i know (and used to go out with).. She calls herself a nerd all the time in a derrogitory sense, and it ........es me off to no end.

i find geeks to normally be female and nerds to normally be male, where as dorks are just those stupid kids who try and fit in, although they are too immature to do so.

im regulary called a nerd, but I dont look or sound like one, so they know if u are.

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Originally posted by face_master
im regulary called a nerd, but I dont look or sound like one, so they know if u are.

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Who're "they"? And maybe they call you one because of how you look? ;)

Gaahhh...I know exactly what you mean RoD. All the time I'm reading a programming book or talking with my friends at lunch about computers and people call me/us computer nerds! AAAAAHHHHHH!!! I have to tell people all the time "Its not nerd, its geek, computer geek." Sometimes girls can say that stuff as a way to start a conversation tho, but it sounds like she wasn't. A couple weeks ago I ordered 2 shirts from www.geekgarb.com . They have great stuff, I got the (computer) geek shirt and the NETizen one. I'm hoping this will help clear up the misunderstanding between geek/nerd.

As for you method man, I could rightfully be called a GEEK!
I can't stand being called a nerd!

//napKIN

howdy,
let me get this straight
this blonde girl wants to talk to you, maybe get to know a bit about you or i guess what i'm saying she shows an interest in you. now you being totally involved with an OGL book get wrapped up in one single word she used and cant be polite for one second to say hi. so she get offended and walks off.
hummmm sounds like a lonely life.

M.R.

itld:

>>> this blonde girl wants to talk to you,

No,

this cute blonde girl wants to talk to you,

RoD:

Sorry mate, nerd by my meaning of the word!

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i have always defined nerd in my own mind as someone who is, while at the same time intelligent, also obnoxious about the knowlege that he feels makes him superior to those around him.

a similar word, geek, i define slightly differently: a person who is intelligent, usually unattractive, but, unlike nerds, is not obnoxious about their intelligence.

then there is dork. actually a slang word for 'penis,' i define a dork as a person who thinks he is intelligent but isnt, and is still obnoxious about it.

---

Right on the money.

ethic needs to post in this - he had it right.

I'm always called a hacker, by a lot of people, and have been for a while.

I don't consider myself to be a nerd :) So I like hacker more. I'm called a hacker because I'm always on a computer, but of course, maybe it's just people being nice and not calling me a nerd...

I'm comfortable with "square"

This is why I try to fade out of existence when in public. Me being a six foot tub-o-lard with a serious video game addiction doesn't help any. That and the fact that I can't understand how anyone could have difficulties with math.

I'm a nerd.

I'm a computer nerd. What's wrong with that ? Cute blonde girls who sneer at you should get phone calls to their daddy telling him about his little angel's love life. See how much she sneers after that, and enjoy instead the hunted and paranoid expression she develops. I think blonde girls who sneer at computer nerds suck.

Try instead cute blonde girls who smile nicely.

But that's just me. >:)

Gustav

I don't recall any reference to sneering in the original post. Indeed, the cute blonde girl may have been wondering how to get a conversation going with someone she maybe liked the look of, instead she got a oneliner put down. Charming.

I like "nerd." I think of it as more of an earned title than geek. It just seems to grant more prestige.

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Originally posted by Terrance11
I'm always called a hacker, by a lot of people, and have been for a while.

I don't consider myself to be a nerd :) So I like hacker more. I'm called a hacker because I'm always on a computer, but of course, maybe it's just people being nice and not calling me a nerd...

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We'll assume they're wrong :P

you don't understand women at all do you?

she probably wasn't laughing to be mean, she just wanted to start conversation and be friendly. I too, think nerd is obselete, but it's nothing to be affended by nonetheless. I'm not saying it's a compliment either. Just as people call me a freak because I'm a goth, they aren't putting me down, just telling me what I am. No big deal. You shouldn't get affended so easily. Although, I DO get made fun of because of my interest in computers and junk, but I don't let it get the best of me. I just laugh. A lot of times they aren't being mean, just playing around. Now there are the jocks that DO hate me, because I am the two types they usually hate. I'm a goth and a geek. They, I take offense from. But, I know that I am better than them, and it doesn't bother me. They are just jealous of my h4xx0r skills, and, if you look, ALL JOCKS ARE D.A.'s! They're just a bunch of people who cheat on tests and shower with other guys. They all want to be football players when they grow up, but they realise that it is harder than they think to get into the NFL. So they marry a *****, live in a trailer park, beat their wife and kids, and work at some place like co-op and get welfare checks.

If RoD doesn't understand girls, you certainly don't understand anyone else. Most of those guys you say will end up on welfare will hold perfectly good jobs and lead totally normal lives. No matter what you think, there's no clear cut path for people.

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Originally posted by frenchfry164
you don't understand women at all do you?

she probably wasn't laughing to be mean, she just wanted to start conversation and be friendly. I too, think nerd is obselete, but it's nothing to be affended by nonetheless. I'm not saying it's a compliment either. Just as people call me a freak because I'm a goth, they aren't putting me down, just telling me what I am. No big deal. You shouldn't get affended so easily. Although, I DO get made fun of because of my interest in computers and junk, but I don't let it get the best of me. I just laugh. A lot of times they aren't being mean, just playing around. Now there are the jocks that DO hate me, because I am the two types they usually hate. I'm a goth and a geek. They, I take offense from. But, I know that I am better than them, and it doesn't bother me. They are just jealous of my h4xx0r skills, and, if you look, ALL JOCKS ARE D.A.'s! They're just a bunch of people who cheat on tests and shower with other guys. They all want to be football players when they grow up, but they realise that it is harder than they think to get into the NFL. So they marry a *****, live in a trailer park, beat their wife and kids, and work at some place like co-op and get welfare checks.

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While the story of your future entertains me at the least, shes a well known *****. I can read people fairly well, and i know exactly what she was trying to do with her line of conversation.

Like ..., I prefer geek :).

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Originally posted by frenchfry164
you don't understand women at all do you?

she probably wasn't laughing to be mean, she just wanted to start conversation and be friendly. I too, think nerd is obselete, but it's nothing to be affended by nonetheless. I'm not saying it's a compliment either. Just as people call me a freak because I'm a goth, they aren't putting me down, just telling me what I am. No big deal. You shouldn't get affended so easily. Although, I DO get made fun of because of my interest in computers and junk, but I don't let it get the best of me. I just laugh. A lot of times they aren't being mean, just playing around. Now there are the jocks that DO hate me, because I am the two types they usually hate. I'm a goth and a geek. They, I take offense from. But, I know that I am better than them, and it doesn't bother me. They are just jealous of my h4xx0r skills, and, if you look, ALL JOCKS ARE D.A.'s! They're just a bunch of people who cheat on tests and shower with other guys. They all want to be football players when they grow up, but they realise that it is harder than they think to get into the NFL. So they marry a *****, live in a trailer park, beat their wife and kids, and work at some place like co-op and get welfare checks.

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Oh brother :rolleyes: [feels like he did a few years ago here]I still don't get what you people have against what you call "jocks". I'm friends with most of my football team, most of the basketball team, soccer team, baseball team, whatever. I've never had any problems - hell, about 5 or 6 football players are in one of the programming classes, and a lot of people go into web design (although mostly beause the web design teacher lets you play games all period).

Maybe it's just easy for me to make friends (although I'm usually kind've shy for the first...mehh....20 minutes or so of meeting soeone) or something, but I can't see the reason why so maybe of the people here decided anyone who plays a sport for their school, or even God-forbid people like (:eek: "Oh no! They're popular! Quick! Talk about computers so they go away!!") the person a lot, that they're not worth their time.

It's almost like a defense mechanism - you don't want to get made fun of so you develop some kind've superiority complex.

[/feeling like he did a few years ago]

howdy,
i spend about 50% of my time as an iron worker, last week i worked at the 85 foot level.
i have the construction worker appearance down to an art. i'm physically as strong as anyone i work with, i can out work most, i'm as smart as most people i work around.
that said i have been a geek, nerd or what ever since 1982 when i sat in front of the first DEC machine i'd ever seen.
i don't give a **** what people call me, i do however get a kick out of how nice they are to me when windoze kicks thier ass.

M.R.

>>i do however get a kick out of how nice they are to me when windoze kicks thier ass.

Heh...the best is to get them to do something for you for your help. I love that..."First, sit on your knees and beg. Now! Good boy...now give me that sandwich...I don't care if it isn't yours!"

If a person who uses a computer is a nerd, then a person who plays games on the computer is a nerd. Nerd shouldn't be used to offend people. I know people that are weird but no nerds.
I think the word is misunderstood to some people.

howdy,

ROFL,

Quote:

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Good boy...now give me that sandwich...I don't care if it isn't yours!"

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and the soda get that too.

M.R.

I could care less if people call me a nerd or a geek. I enjoy computers, weight training, archery, skeet shooting and many other sports that I very proficient at.

I earn my living as a commercial glazier, I am greatfull that I payed attention in math class(geometry, and trig. especially). It makes my job simple.

When working on 40 million dollar custom homes in Aspen or Vail I find that being a geek or nerd just makes my job easier. This is why I earn an appropiate amount more than most other glaziers in this area.

Problem solving skills are disappearing from the construction workforce. Having knowledge in math/science just give me an edge that I am glad to have. I don't have to LOOK for work it finds me.

howdy,
i own a small engineering/construction company. and i agree with Bajanine completely.

M.R.

Ok i know that horoscopes, and especially the crap about technology they have is crap, but heres that tech part from mine >_<

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Your personal geekosphere includes computer peripherals and various other devices. Everyone else around here is lousy with hardware, too. Imagine what you could do with all this if you put your heads together.

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*cartman voice*

I am so totally ........ED OFF rite NOW

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Originally posted by RoD
We'll assume they're wrong :P

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Yes they're wrong. One teacher I had in the past called me a hacker because he thought I was breaking into some kind of database for the school.

I was using dos :p

Anyways, people my age who are good with computers are generally called hackers... :(

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Originally posted by Terrance11
I was using dos :p

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Do not underestimate the power of DOS

dude I didn't say that all of them turn out like that. Did I say "every last single one of them that will ever live"? No. I didn't want to offend anybody. I was simply saying that most jocks ARE like that. I'm friends with some jocks. I don't have problems with them. The ones who judge me b4 they know me I do have problems with. The ones that see I'm different, and I follow my own beliefs and don't do exactly what everybody does, so they hate me. If you give me your respect, I'll give you mine.

PS: Just because you are a football player doesn't mean you're a jock.

>every last single one of them that will ever live"

Well....

> ALL JOCKS ARE D.A.'s! They're just a bunch of people who cheat on tests and shower with other guys.

I'd say the answer's yes.

oh, I did, didn't I? I didn't mean that, and I'm sorry I said it. Musta been high when I said that. I apoligize to anyone I affended. Sorry. I meant that most were.

Again, I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking when I said that.

>>ALL JOCKS ARE D.A.'s!<<

I played for my school teams in football, cricket and tennis, was I a jock?

And D.A.? In America, isn't that a District Attorney?

Er......I think I might be confused :confused:

> And D.A.? In America, isn't that a District Attorney?

Well, every sports playing boy grows up to be a lawyer, right? I think he means "dumbass"

> football, cricket and tennis

I count 1 sport in there, so no, you're not a jock.

>>Do not underestimate the power of DOS

Amen, still main tool used today for that stuff.

>>Anyways, people my age who are good with computers are generally called hackers...

Same here. I dont like it when people who study deep into that area are downsized term wise because some kid who knows a windows trick or too impresses ppl by changing the dektop background when everyone else gets "access not allowed" messages when they right click the desktop....