It's easy to deal with being called a nerd or geek. Just scare 'em off with threats of installing malware on their computer. ;)

"Nerd" has negative connotations and I don't like it being used about me. I don't think I fit anything close to classic "nerd behaviour" in any case.

"Geek", not so much but I still don't like it. "Geek" is considered vaguely cool these days in some circles and it's such a blanket term that it's not always easy to see the manner in which it was intended to be used.

I'm primarily offended by overuse of the words "awesome" and "epic". These are used flippantly in relation to anything without any regard whatsoever to the true meaning of the word, even the slang uses are usually in completely the wrong context and misunderstood/misinterpreted.

Quote: Original post by Windryder
It's easy to deal with being called a nerd or geek. Just scare 'em off with threats of installing malware on their computer. ;)

Of course, they probably wouldn't know what malware was. You'd be better off saying "I'll fill your inbox with spam" or something a bit less geeky. [lol]

To me, nerd means a smart person who likes to learn things. Geek means a nerd who is specifically interested in computers or technology. I know those arnt the official definitions, but thats what the words generally mean to me.
So no I am not offended because someone calling me a nerd is basically implying that they are NOT smart and/or do NOT like to learn things.

i think most "non-geeks" are more geeky than most "geeks". If someone calls me a geek i just turn it around and say
"you know, i havent slightest idea how to use twitter, facebook, myspace or any of the other near-pointless crap you have growing on your knee infront of x-factor, whos the geek now?". I think social networking is quite close to some obscure mmo game.

If someone calls me a "geek" (typically meant as an insult), I usually lecture them on what to be a "geek" really means (it IS a compliment). It's not actually an insult, infact, to be a geek, is a good thing. Geeks are the good guys, the people who know their shit (computers, cars, music, biology - any discipline), aren't antisocial, enjoy themselves, everyone, and everything around them - who are, what could be considered, "real" people.

However, I take being called a "nerd" offensively. It implies social ineptness, locking yourself away to do your own thing - that is, purposefully avoiding any life experience and being a shut away. I take a huge offence to it, and usually go off it with people calling me it. Thankfully no one has called me "nerd" for a long time, I usually get called a "geek", invoking the lecture!

Here I was prepared for something *really* offensive.

I honestly just don't care if someone uses a word like that to describe me. I truly enjoy the subjects I study and the work I do, and I think that's a lot more than most people can say.

http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html
http://nerdinfection.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/history-of-the-nerd/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200909/why-don-t-students-school-well-duhhhh

I'm mostly offended by your face!