A Personal Perspective on Popular American Culture: “Geeks” and “Nerds” Etymology, socio-economic and cultural development of the concepts of “nerds” and “geeks” in American culture
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A Personal Perspective on Popular American Culture:
“Geeks” and “Nerds”“Geeks” and “Nerds”
Etymology, socio-economic and cultural development of the
concepts of “nerds” and “geeks” in American culture
Why geeks and nerds?
• Describing “American culture”
– Social interactions and structures in American
high schools and colleges
• Contemporary relevance• Contemporary relevance
– Popularity and frequency of terminology and
them in contemporary American (“pop”)
culture
• Particular definition
– Difficulties of explaining and defining the
terms
What are geeks and nerds?
Main characters from television series, The Big Bang Theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vlcsnap-4765A.PNG
What are geeks and nerds?
• Nerd
– “unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept
person;
– especially: one slavishly devoted to – especially: one slavishly devoted to
intellectual or academic pursuits
– ‘computer nerds’”
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd
Possible etymological origin of “nerd”
From If I Ran The Zoo, © 1950, Dr. Seusshttp://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/If-I-Ran-The-Zoo.gif
Possible etymological origin of “nerd”
• “The first documented use of the word Nerd is in
the 1950 Dr. Seuss story, If I Ran the Zoo”
Nerd, from If I Ran The Zoo, © 1950, Dr. Seusshttp://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/nerd.html
What are nerds?
• “The stereotypical nerd is…
– intelligent…
– but socially and physically awkward.”
– “In film and television depictions, nerds are
disproportionately
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
disproportionately
• white males
• with very large glasses,
• braces (…)
• and pants highly lifted up”
What are nerds?
“Nerd”http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/dork.html
What are nerds?
…if Johnny Depp were a “nerd”…http://www.freakingnews.com/Celebrity-Nerds-Pictures--1614.asp
What are geeks?
• Geek
– “an enthusiast or expert…
– especially in a technological field or activity…
– ‘computer geek’”– ‘computer geek’”
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geek?show=0&t=1303801116
What are geeks?
“Computer Geek”http://www.facebookstatuses.co.uk/computer-geek-jokes-funny
Also “dorks”…What is a “dork”?• Dork
– “slang…also used as synonym for nerd or geek”
– “Often confused with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same level of intelligence” (http://www.google.com.hk/search?hl=zh-CN&source=hp&biw=800&bih=430&q=dork&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=)
• “a person who behaves awkwardly around other people and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc.and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc.
– Back in high school, all the kids thought he was a dork. [=nerd, loser]
– I look like a complete dork in these clothes.
• —dorky /�doɚki/ adjective dork·i·er; dork·i·est
– He's that tall, dorky [=nerdy] guy with the glasses”
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dork
What are dorks?
Children’s book cover, “Dork In Disguise” by Carol Gormanhttp://www.harpercollins.com/books/Dork-Disguise-Carol-Gorman/?isbn=9780064408912
What kind of nerd are you?
Computer nerd?
Anime nerd?
Science nerd?
Collector nerd?Collector nerd?
Enginerd?
Fantasy nerd?
Sci-Fi nerd?
Puzzle nerd?
Science Nerd“… is proud of his/her chemistry set, ant farm, invisible man/woman, microscope, binoculars, magnifying glass,
this nerd dreams of one day living on the moon”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Collector Nerd“voracious collector of all things nerd including trader
cards, action figures, comic books, stamps, Happy Meal toys”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Enginerd“…are known to spend hours upon hours with their Ham
Radios (…) Lincoln Logs, Legos, model kits”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Fantasy Nerd“… will have a closet stuffed with Crossbows & Catapults
(…) World of Warcraft (and all other fantasy video
games), costumes, figurines, cloaks (…)”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Sci-Fi Nerd“… will have shelves and shelves of sci-fi action figures,
anything Star Wars, Star Trek or Tolkien-related, weaponry (…) & other duplicated gadgets”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Puzzle Nerd“… indoor nerd loves Rubik’s Cube, crosswords, sudoku,
jigsaws, riddles”
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Revenge of the “nerds”
Theatrical release poster for the 1984 film, Revenge of the Nerdshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Revengeofthenerdsposter.jpg
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be nerdy
• The American concepts of “nerds”, “geeks”, “dorks”, etc. have become “cool”
“Stereotypical nerd qualities have evolved in recent years…
– from awkwardness and social ostracism…– from awkwardness and social ostracism…
– to an allegedly more widespread acceptance
and sometimes even celebration of their
abilities.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be “nerdy”
Bill Gates & Mark Elliot Zuckerberghttp://www.politicolnews.com/bill-gates/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be nerdy
• “rise of the computer industry
– has allowed many "nerdy" people (most
notably Bill Gates) to accumulate large
fortunes and other measures of social
prestige. prestige.
• Some measure of nerdiness is allegedly considered desirable…
– intelligence,
– interesting,
– able to earn a large salaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be “nerdy”
• Harvey Pekar, author of underground comics, American Splendor
• "The Genuine Nerd from Cleveland, Ohio"[
Harvey Pekar and American Splendorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Pekar
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be nerdy
“… waning emphasis on the social awkwardness of nerds …
with more attention placed on their intelligence and academic enthusiasm”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be “nerdy”
“The view of the nerd in popular culture has certainly changed over the years, and it is becoming more and more accepted.”
“The media has shifted from a stance of picking on nerds like everyone else, to using them as a tool to gain audiences, reflecting the higher cultural esteem of the
nerd.”
From “Four-Eyes No More: The New Nerd” by Chris Hoffer, 2008http://www.mhlearningsolutions.com/commonplace/index.php?q=node/3793
nerd.”
“We all have a little bit of nerd in us here or there; it’s just a matter of finding it”
Geeks and Nerds - The Big Bang Theory: The
Cornhusker Vortex (Season III, Episode 6)
Main characters from television series, The Big Bang Theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vlcsnap-4765A.PNG
ReferencesNerd
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd
http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/nerd.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge_of_the_Nerds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/
Dork
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dork
Geek
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geek?show=0&t=1303801116
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