My girlfriend seems to think so. I do fit a lot of the classic criteria.
My case for Nerd-membership:
I spend a lot of time on the internet.
I like sci-fi/fantasy films.
I like comics.
I like action figures.
I like t.v. shows about space and the cretion of the universe and so on.
I don’t like sports.
I like rap music, despite being white and middle class.
My case against:
I have a girlfriend, a steady job, my own car.
I am on “The property ladder”.
I work out four times a week, and I bench 200lbs.
I have loads of friends.
I like big, dumb action movies too.
What do you think? Do I qualify? Anyone else got a similar nerd/jock personality imbalance?
You might be a nerd, but I wouldn’t say it to your face.
Sounds to me like you’re nerd cool.
My take on this is that there are nerds, and then there are geeks. Nerds have most/all of your “pro-nerd” tendencies but also a healthy amount of “anti-nerd” tendencies.
Geeks have all of your “pro-nerd” tendencies and then some (“I drink 327 cups of coffee a day”, “I wore my Klingon uniform to my sister’s wedding” . . . You get the general idea). They have few or none of your anti-nerd tendencies, and tend to look down on those who do. These cracked-out Aspy cases give the nerds a bad name. Or maybe I’m just pissed, 'cause all the geeks I know make twice as much as I just for rebooting e-mail servers.
Long story short. Yes, you’re a nerd, but this is not a bad thing.
I was also going to say geek instead of nerd, though it really depends on how you want to define the terms. I think of “nerds” as having a booksy, shy, or anti-social quality about them; geeks, not so much. This seems to be the opposite of what Linty Fresh is saying though.
You sound like something of a ‘comic/sci-fi geek’, but you seem to fall short of true nerddom. The acid test is that you have the girlfriend, but you also didn’t list your programming knowledge or general scruffiness.
A person can be a specific type geek without really being a nerd. I’ve heard of RPG geeks, technogeeks, sci-fi geeks, music geeks, dance geeks, and a several others. A specific-type geek typically has an abnormal hobby or two, but hasn’t fallen all the way off the social ladder.
So, you’re not a nerd. Trust me; I’m a stereotype nerd.
Not nerd. Geek. You’re a geek. More info here. Basically, nerds are like geeks, but lacking in social competence. This seems to be the more widely accepted viewpoint. You don’t sound socially incompetent to me, so I’d classify you as a (fellow) geek.
A buff geek. melts
I must note, this does not make you less geeky. If anything, it just makes you geeky about another thing. Weightlifting geeky, perhaps. Geek and muscle are not mutually exclusive.
Are you familiar with the Rainier Wolfcastle film Undercover Nerd?
I know plenty of “buff nerds”. Some of the nerdiest guys in my fraternity wear freakin jacked. They were nice guys (as most are) but big nerds nevertheless.
Your interests are more “geek” than “nerd”. And it depends on how much you are into them.
How to figure out if you are a nerd:
-Do you wear glasses?
-Do you define yourself with academic or intellectual achievement
-Are you particularly compulsive, anal or neat?
-Do you dress particularly conservatively (sweater vests, top button buttoned, etc)
-Are you exceptionally dull, polite or mild mannereed?
-Are you socially awkward?
The big difference is that nerds tend to define themselves through intellectual achievement much like a meathead or jock would define themselves through athletic achievement (a meathead focusing on some inane aspect of athletics like being strong for the sake of being strong as opposed to enhancing performance in an actual sport).
A geek tends to define themselves through their interest in the minutia of some aspect of pop culture.
A dork is more defined by their inabilty to conform with social norms.
Hmmm . . . Guess it depends on where you grew up. We called the nerds geeks, and the geeks nerds, although when you grow up in the sticks, that ain’t the only backward thing you have to deal with . . .
And here I thought everyone at work was complimenting me when they called me a nerd :dubious:
My SO is a slightly nerdy geek…and he’s also STEAMING HOT, IMO.
So if you’re worried this is a problem with women (though if you have a girlfriend I don’t think you’d be too worried)…don’t. Nerds, geeks, I love 'em all. And I know I’m not the only one out there.
But I hate (most) rap music, which is why i said that.