Nerd: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Nerd 11.jpg|thumb|Example of a stereotypical 'nerd' appearance]]

A '''nerd''' is a person seen as over-intellectual, [[Fixation (psychology)|obsessive]], [[Extraversion and introversion|introverted]], or lacking [[social skills]]. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little-known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical, abstract, or relating to niche topics such as science fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Nerd?r=75&src=ref&ch=dic "Nerd | Define Nerd at Dictionary.com"], "Dictionary.com, LLC" 2011, accessed 13 May 2011.</ref><ref>nerd, n. [[Oxford English Dictionary]] online. Third edition, September 2003; online version September 2011. First included in Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989.</ref><ref name=webster>{{Citation |url= http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd |access-date= 23 November 2011 |title= Definition of NERD |work= [[Merriam-Webster]] |year= 2011 }}</ref> Additionally, many so-called nerds are described as being [[Shyness|shy]], [[Eccentricity (behavior)|quirky]], [[pedant]]ic, and [[physical attractiveness|unattractive]].<ref>{{Cite journal |doi= 10.2307/2112783 |title= From nerds to normals: The recovery of identity among adolescents from middle school to high school |author= DA Kinney |year=1993 |pages=21–40 |journal= Sociology of Education |volume= 66 |issue=1 |jstor= 2112783 | issn=0038-0407}}</ref>

Originally derogatory, the term "nerd" was a stereotype, but as with other pejoratives, it has been [[Reappropriation|reclaimed]] and redefined by some as a term of pride and group identity.<ref>{{Cite journal |title= Nerds and Geeks: Society's Evolving Stereotypes of Our Students With Gifts and Talents |author= Tracy L. Cross |year=2005 |journal= Social/Emotional Needs |volume= 28 |issue=4 }}</ref> The term may be considered a synonym for [[geek]].

[[Image:2005 0308 urkel.jpg|thumb|right|The character of [[Steve Urkel]] in the television show ''[[Family Matters (TV series)|Family Matters]]'' (1989–1998) is portrayed as being a nerd.]]'''Nerd''', as a [[Stereotype|stereotypical]] or [[Archetype|archetypal]] designation, refers to somebody who pursues intellectual interests at the expense of skills that are useful in a social setting, such as communication, fashion, or physical fitness.

==HistoryEtymology==

The first documented appearance of the word ''nerd'' is as the name of a creature in [[Dr. Seuss]]'s book ''[[If I Ran the Zoo]]'' (1950), in which the narrator Gerald McGrew claims that he would collect "a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a [[Seersucker]] too" for his imaginary zoo.<ref name=webster/><ref name="English Language 1212">American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, p. 1212, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston – New York – London, 1992.</ref><ref>[[Dr. Seuss|Geisel, Theodor Seuss]], ''[[If I Ran the Zoo]]'', p. 47, Random House Books for Young Readers. New York, 1950.</ref> The slang meaning of the term dates to 1951.<ref name="Harper">{{OEtymD|nerd}}</ref> That year, ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine reported on its popular use as a synonym for ''[[wikt:drip#Noun|drip]]'' or ''[[square (slang)|square]]'' in Detroit, Michigan.<ref>''[[Newsweek]]'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=6oYoAQAAMAAJ&q=%22regrettably+,+a+nerd+%22 'Jelly Tot, Square Bear-Man!'] (8 October 1951), p. 28</ref> By the early 1960s, usage of the term had spread throughout the United States, and even as far as Scotland.<ref>Gregory J. Marsh in Special Collections at the [[Swarthmore College]] library as reported in [http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/lists_archive/Humanist/v04/0074.html Humanist Discussion Group] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080131223744/http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/lists_archive/Humanist/v04/0074.html |date=31 January 2008 }} (28 June 1990) Vol. 4, No. 0235.</ref><ref>Glasgow, Scotland, ''Sunday Mail'' (10 February 1957).</ref> At some point, the word took on connotations of bookishness and social ineptitude.<ref name="English Language 1212"/>

An alternate spelling,<ref>''The many spellings of Nurd'', Fall 1970 (revised [http://polyglotinc.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-many-spellings-of-nurd-or-is-it-nerd.html online] 2015)</ref> as ''nurd'' or ''gnurd'', also began to appear in the mid-1960s, or early 1970s.<ref>''Current Slang: A Quarterly Glossary of Slang Expressions Currently In Use'' (1971). Vol. V, No. 4, Spring 1971, p. 17</ref> Author [[Philip K. Dick]] claimed to have coined the "nurd" spelling in 1973, but its first recorded use appeared in a 1965 student publication at [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] (RPI).<ref>Personal Correspondence (4 September 1973) reported on [http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/NerdMail.html#PKDick the web]</ref><ref>RPI ''Bachelor'' (1965), V14 No. 1</ref> [[Oral tradition]] there holds that the word is derived from ''knurd'' (''[[drunk]]'' spelled backward), which was used to describe people who studied rather than partied. The term ''gnurd'' (spelled with the "g") was in use at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) by the year 1965.<ref>''More Mathematical People'' (D.J. Albers, J.L. Alexanderson and C. Reid), p. 105 (1990). Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.</ref> The term "nurd" was also in use at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as early as 1971.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V90/PDF/V90-N57.pdf |work=The Daily Reamer, Volume 69, No. 20 |page=6 |date=3 February 1971 |title=Johnson honors Nurd for saving Institute |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |postscript=. |access-date=14 May 2014 |archive-date=22 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022020354/http://tech.mit.edu/V90/PDF/V90-N57.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

For quite some time in the later [[20th Century]], the term "nerd" was generally considered derogatory, and was a common insult, especially among school-age boys. However, beginning in the late [[1990s]], many nerds on the [[Internet]] reclaimed the word ''nerd'' as a badge of pride and began using it as a positive description of a technically-competent person. Although traditionally used to describe men and boys, the terms "nerd" and "[[geek]]" have been adopted by many women interested in technology, science, mathematics and other typically male-dominated intellectual fields as badges of their accomplishments in these areas. However, many, if not all, self-styled nerds, even if they possess some of the above prerequisites, do not fit the traditional definition of nerd which also heavily emphasizes social alienation and awkwardness. Dictionaries define the word as one who is 'socially inept'.[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nerd]

According to ''[[Online Etymology Dictionary]]'', the word is an alteration of the 1940s term "''nert''" (meaning "stupid or crazy person"), which is in itself an alteration of "[[wikt:nut|nut]]" (nutcase).{{refn|name=Harper}}

The term "nerd", meaning "[[square (slang)|square]]", goes back at least to [[1951]], when [[Newsweek]] reported the usage as relatively new in Detroit, Michigan. By the [[1960s]], it took on connotations of bookishness as well as [[social ineptitude]]. The word itself first appeared in [[Dr. Seuss]]'s book ''[[If I Ran the Zoo]]'', published in [[1950]], where it simply names one of Seuss's many comical imaginary animals. (The narrator Gerald McGrew claims that he would collect "a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker too" for his imaginary zoo.) Another theory of the word's origin sees it as a variation on [[Mortimer Snerd]], the name of [[Edgar Bergen]]'s ventriloquist dummy. Yet another theory traces the term to ''[[Northern Electric Research and Development]]'', suggesting images of employees wearing [[pocket protector]]s with the acronym N.E.R.D. printed on them. In the 1933 film, [[Dinner at Eight]], [[Jean Harlow]]'s character replies to her husband's suggestion that she might enjoy mingling with Washington "cabinet members' wives" by saying, "Nerds!... A lot of sour-faced frumps with last year's clothes on, pinning medals on Girl Scouts and pouring tea for the DARs..." [Spelling is from Turner DVD subtitles and not verified by the original script.] Finally, oral history at [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] holds that the word was coined there, spelled as "knurd" ("drunk" spelled backwards), to describe those who studied rather than partied. (This usage predates a similar coinage of "[[knurd]]" by author [[Terry Pratchett]].) The term itself was used heavily in the American 1974-84 television comedy [[Happy Days]] which took place in [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] in the mid-1950s.

The term was popularized in the 1970s by its heavy use in the sitcom ''[[Happy Days]]''.<ref>{{Citation

In the 1940s, the word 'weakling' or 'wimp' was used before the word 'nerd' was used widely. Comic book ads for [[Charles Atlas]] weights and workout books were often accompanied by a short comic strip about a skinny 'weakling' and his girlfriend at the beach. In the strip, a muscular bully kicks sand on the weakling. His girlfriend leaves him for the bully. The weakling exercises (using Atlas's weights) until he has bigger muscles than the bully. He then defeats the bully in a fist fight. The girl leaves the bully, and joins the former weakling again as his girlfriend. This simple comic strip may have shaped nerd-versus-bully storylines thereafter. The nature of the strip tapped into men's fears, hormones, and competitive instincts over women.

| first1 = David

| last1 = Fantle

| first2 = Tom

| last2 = Johnson

| title = Reel to Real: 25 Years of Celebrity Interviews

| publisher = Badger Books Inc.

|date=November 2003

| chapter = "Nerd" is the Word: Henry Winkler, August 1981

| pages = 239–242

}}</ref> On 28 January 1978, recurring characters [[The Nerds]] premiered on Saturday Night Live. The term was further popularized in the 1984 film ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]''.

==TheCulture Nerdand 'Look'perception==

===Stereotype===

====Intellect and alleged nerdiness====

Because of the nerd stereotype, many intelligent people are often thought of as nerdy. This belief can be harmful, as it can cause high-school students to "switch off their lights" out of fear of being branded as a nerd,<ref name="In Praise">{{cite news |last= Anderegg |first=Mr |title= In Praise of Nerds |url= https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2008/01/10/in-praise-of-nerds |newspaper= The Economist |date=12 January 2008}}</ref> and cause otherwise appealing people to be considered nerdy simply for their intellect.

It has been argued that intellectuals are automatically nerdy because they were secretly envied, arrogant, or out of touch. However, [[Paul Graham (computer programmer)|Paul Graham]] stated in his essay, "Why Nerds are Unpopular", that intellect is neutral, meaning that many high school students neither admire nor deride classmates for intelligence itself. He also states that it is only the correlation that makes smart teens automatically seem nerdy, and personally defines a nerd as someone deemed not socially adept enough. Additionally, he says that the reason why many smart kids are unpopular is that they "don't have time for the activities required for popularity," since they instead prioritize intellectual, solitary pursuits, at the cost of being branded as "nerds." He also goes on to criticize suburbia and the public education system for enabling a popularity contest.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Graham|first=Paul|title=Why Nerds are Unpopular|url=http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html}}</ref>

The [[USA|U.S.]] visual stereotype is of a young man wearing [[horn-rimmed glasses]] (possibly broken and repaired with tape), a pocket protector, hiked up [[pants]] (UK: trousers) and possibly [[suspenders]] (UK: braces). This appears to stem from a [[1977]] ''[[National Lampoon]]'' poster titled "Are you a Nerd?", featuring a similarly dressed individual. The look was based on several earlier depictions, such as the character [[Poindexter]] from the late 1950s cartoon ''[[Felix the Cat]]'', and Julius Kelp from the 1963 comedy ''[[The Nutty Professor]]''. During the 1980s and 1990s, popular U.S. comedic characters such as [[Steve Urkel]] and parody movies such as ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'' helped cement the stereotypical image in the popular consciousness. A more sympathetic treatement of nerd lives and culture has recently begun to emerge in popular culture, in movies such as ''[[American Splendor (film)|American Splendor]]'' and ''[[Ghost World]]''.

====Stereotypical "nerd" appearance and fashion====

In the [[United Kingdom]] the visual [[stereotype]] emerged from earlier longstanding ones about [[Eccentricity (behaviour)|eccentric]] scientists ('[[boffin]]s') and English eccentrics in general, as seen in movies such as ''[[The Man in the White Suit]]'' (1951). The stereotype was strongly disseminated by British television comedy (''[[The Goodies]]'', ''[[Here Come the Double Deckers]]'', and many others) and [[Open University]] broadcasting from about 1970, when it came to be applied to younger and younger characters.

[[File:Twemoji12 1f913.svg|thumb|180px|Nerd Face as it appears in [[Twemoji]]]]

Stereotypical nerd appearance, often lampooned in caricatures, can include very large glasses, dental braces, buck teeth, severe acne and pants worn high at the waist. Following suit of popular use in emoticons, Unicode released in 2015 its "Nerd Face" character, featuring some of those stereotypes: 🤓 (code point U+1F913). In the media, many nerds are males, portrayed as being physically unfit, either overweight or skinny due to lack of physical exercise.<ref name=":1">Lori Kendall. "OH NO! I'M A NERD!": Hegemonic Masculinity on an Online Forum. ''Gender Society''. '''14''': 256. (2000)</ref><ref>Ron Eglash. Race, Sex, and Nerds. ''Social Text''. '''20:''' 49 (2002)</ref>

==Nerds==The instereotype artacross race and literaturegender====

It has been suggested by some, such as linguist [[Mary Bucholtz]], that being a nerd may be a state of being "hyperwhite" and rejecting [[African-American culture]] and slang that "cool" white children use.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/magazine/29wwln-idealab-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin|title= Who's a Nerd, Anyway? |access-date=28 July 2007 |author=Benjamin Nugent|date=29 July 2007|work=[[The New York Times]] Magazine}}</ref> However, after the ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'' movie franchise (with multicultural nerds), and the introduction of the [[Steve Urkel]] character on the television series ''[[Family Matters]]'', nerds have been seen in all races and colors as well as more recently being a frequent young East Asian or Indian male stereotype in North America. Portrayal of "nerd girls", in films such as ''[[She's Out of Control]]'', ''[[Welcome to the Dollhouse]]'' and ''[[She's All That]]'' depicts that smart but nerdy women might suffer later in life if they do not focus on improving their [[physical attractiveness]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gateward|first=Frances K.|author2=Murray Pomerance|author2-link = Murray Pomerance |title=Sugar, spice, and everything nice: cinemas of girlhood|publisher=Wayne State University Press|year=2002|isbn=978-0-8143-2918-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ywsajx7jqAMC&q=nerd+girl&pg=PA239|access-date=23 July 2009}}</ref>

Dramatic depictions of good nerds typically reveal them to be good-hearted people who wish harm on no one, but are bullied by their obvious intellectual inferiors. Many nerds in fiction play roles as supporting characters who provide valuable sources of information or useful skills for the heroes. Nerds as lead characters often have a [[secret identity]] as a [[superhero]]; in these cases, a put-upon person has a wonderful secret (examples include [[Peter Parker]]/[[Spider-Man]] and [[Clark Kent]]/[[Superman]]). Nerds in supporting roles often feature as technological geniuses who invent or repair [[plot device]]s that enable the main characters to move towards a goal. They also serve as socially inept foils to much more charming main characters, and are sometimes depicted as being lovelorn and longing for attractive females who are beyond their status.

In the United States, a 2010 study published in the ''Journal of International and Intercultural Communication'' indicated that Asian Americans are perceived as most likely to be nerds, followed by [[White Americans]], while non-White [[Hispanic]]s and African Americans were perceived as least likely to be nerds. These stereotypes stem from concepts of [[Orientalism]] and [[Primitivism]], as discussed in Ron Eglash's essay "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters".<ref>Eglash, R. 'Race, Sex, And Nerds: FROM BLACK GEEKS TO ASIAN AMERICAN HIPSTERS'. ''Social Text'' 20.2 71 (2002): 49–64. Web. 11 December 2015.</ref>

Evil nerds, typically embittered through lifetimes lived as social outcasts, and thus seeking revenge upon the world, provide a popular archetype for the [[supervillain]], often as a [[mad scientist]]. This suggests that these characters represent the subconscious cultural fear that the highly intelligent have the ability to do great harm, and a willingness to do it. This seems to be the modern equivalent of the portrayal of scientists as the science fiction 'bug movies' of the 1950s, representing societal fears about the harmful effects that nuclear power might cause. {{citationneeded}}

====Psychosocial conditions====

The total opposite of a nerd is shown in [[Jay Ward]]’s "Mr. Know-It-All" cartoons. Bullwinkle, aka Mr. Know-It-All, thinks he can do certain things, when he cannot at all due to his stupidity and low instinct. In the cartoons, Boris Badunov (or some other evil character) usually beats Mr. Know-It-All up. Meanwhile, the time-traveling duo from this cartoon series—Mr. Peabody, a talking dog, and his boy, Sherman—are both nerds; they both sport dark-rimmed glasses, and the dog wears a bow tie.

Some of the stereotypical behaviors associated with the "nerd" stereotype have correlations with the traits of [[Asperger syndrome]] or other [[autism spectrum]] conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aspergers101.com/high-functioning-autism-vs-asperers-syndrome/|title = High-Functioning Autism vs. Asperger Syndrome| date=15 October 2013 }}</ref>

===Pride===

==Nerd characteristics==

Some measures of "nerdiness" are now considered desirable by many commentators. To some, "nerd" suggests a person who is intelligent, respectful, interesting, dedicated, individualistic, and able to earn a large salary doing what they love. Stereotypical nerd qualities are evolving, going from awkwardness and [[Social rejection|social ostracism]] to an allegedly more widespread acceptance and sometimes even celebration of their differences. Many so-called "nerdy people" have accumulated large fortunes, and many are able to find their niche in the American computer industry, concentrated in California's [[Silicon Valley]], the Greater [[Seattle]] area (working for companies like [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] or [[Microsoft]]), and the [[Silicon Slopes]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Cringely|first=Robert|title=Triumph of the Nerds: A History of the Computer|url=https://www.pbs.org/nerds/timeline/micro.html|access-date=26 June 2012|newspaper=Public Broadcasting Service}}</ref> These engineers and programmers have influenced popular culture in many ways, caught the attention of the media, and effectively designed a new category of everyday objects.

Being adept with computers, often considered a "nerdy" interest, is now widespread and even an expectation in professional and academic spaces. Many celebrities in the first decade of the 2000s publicly expressed interest in smartphones and other handheld devices. Similarly, many stereotypical "nerdy" interests, such as [[video games]], [[tabletop RPG]]s, comic book franchises, and fantasy and science fiction works, are now international popular culture hits.<ref>{{cite news|last=Woyke|first=Elizabeth|title=Celebrity Nerds Come Out|url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/09/19/celebrity-geeks-gadgets-tech-personal-cx_ew_0919celeb.html|access-date=26 June 2012|newspaper=Forbes|date=19 September 2008}}</ref>

Non-nerds often think of nerds as intelligent yet socially awkward people. Stereotypically, in high school, the more “popular” or more socially adept [[teen]]s often ridicule and bully those labeled as nerds, who have a reputation of engaging deeply in academic areas. Nerds generally express an above-normal interest in complex subjects and often function as [[polymath]]s. Topics dealing with [[science]], [[computer]], [[technology]], [[comic books]], board games of types that take hours to play and have complicated rules (particularly [[chess]]), [[role-playing game]]s, [[risk (game)]] and [[European classical music|classical music]], and paradoxically, music at the other extreme, heavy metal and punk (due to the current crop of nerds having grown up in the early 1990s when anti-social music became popular) {{citation needed}}, [[artificial intelligence]], [[manga]], [[video games]], and [[science fiction]], horror and [[fantasy literature]] books, TV shows and movies have all become heavily associated with nerds, as have conventions relating to these various topics.

[[Johannes Grenzfurthner]], researcher, self-proclaimed nerd and director of nerd documentary ''[[Traceroute (film)|Traceroute]]'', reflects on the emergence of nerds and nerd culture:

Despite their crucial function as a class within modern society, there has been almost no serious and methodologically-reliable academic research published on geeks/nerds, apart from a handful of studies of their

{{blockquote|I think that the figure of the nerd provides a beautiful template for analyzing the transformation of the disciplinary society into the control society. The nerd, in his cliché form, first stepped out upon the world stage in the mid-1970s, when we were beginning to hear the first rumblings of what would become the Cambrian explosion of the information society. The nerd must serve as comic relief for the future-anxieties of Western society. ...The germ cell of burgeoning nerdism is difference. The yearning to be understood, to find opportunities to share experiences, to not be left alone with one's bizarre interest. At the same time one derives an almost perverse pleasure from wallowing in this deficit. Nerds love deficiency: that of the other, but also their own. Nerds are eager explorers, who enjoy measuring themselves against one another and also compete aggressively. And yet the nerd's existence also comprises an element of the occult, of mystery. The way in which this power is expressed or focused is very important.|Johannes Grenzfurthner, interviewed by Thomas Kaestle, ''[[Boing Boing]]'', 14 April 2016<ref>{{cite news|url=http://boingboing.net/2016/04/14/the-story-of-traceroute-about.html|title=The story of Traceroute, about a Leitnerd's quest: Johannes Grenzfurthner talks about Traceroute|publisher=[[Boing Boing]]|first=Thomas|last=Kaestle|date=14 April 2016|access-date=1 January 2017}}</ref>}}

[http://reconstruction.eserver.org/011/GeekCulture.htm consumption-based fan cultures]. Some commentators have noticed similarities between pronounced nerdy behavior and the neurological disorder known as high-functioning [[Asperger syndrome]]. The lack of studies of nerds means that we have no basis for proving such a correlation, causal or other relationship between the two types.

In the 1984 film ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'', [[Robert Carradine]] worked to embody the nerd stereotype; in doing so, he helped create a definitive image of nerds.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Singer | first = Jon | title = Carradine hits the jackpot as Lewis Skolnick | magazine = Lumino | date = 28 August 2005 | url = http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/341/10/ | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160101085415/http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/341/10/ | archive-date = 1 January 2016 }}</ref> Additionally, the storyline presaged, and may have helped inspire, the "nerd pride" that emerged in the late 1990s.{{speculation inline|date=November 2021}} ''[[American Splendor]]'' regular [[Toby Radloff]] claims this was the movie that inspired him to become "The Genuine Nerd from [[Cleveland]], Ohio".<ref>{{Cite news | last = Hensley | first = Dennis | title = Revenge of the nerd: American Splendor's Toby Radloff is out and proud about his sexuality and his nerddom | magazine = The Advocate | date = 2 September 2003 | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Sept_2/ai_110737685 | access-date = 22 July 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071117062557/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Sept_2/ai_110737685 | archive-date = 17 November 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> In the ''American Splendor'' film, Toby's friend, ''American Splendor'' author [[Harvey Pekar]], was less receptive to the movie, believing it to be hopelessly idealistic, explaining that Toby, an adult low income file clerk, had nothing in common with the middle class kids in the film who would eventually attain college degrees, success, and cease being perceived as nerds. Many, however, seem to share Radloff's view, as "nerd pride" has become more widespread in the years since. [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] professor [[Gerald Sussman]], for example, seeks to instill pride in nerds:

In the practice of [[psychology]], geeks and nerds can be said to be [[Myers-Briggs Type Indicator]] [[INTP]], [[ENTP]] or to a lesser extent [[INTJ]]. (Nerds are also known to exist in much smaller numbers within the [[INFP]] type.) INTP is the classic programmer type, INTJ the classic scientist type. These two types are the '''I'''ntroverted i'''N'''tuitive '''T'''hinkers. As Introverts they are stimulated by thoughts and ideas, rather than people and things. They are often quite happy spending hours absorbed in solitary activities. As iNtuitives, they are more inclined toward abstract concepts and subtle connections than in concrete examples or direct experience. As Thinkers, they are more adept in logic and reason than feelings or emotions. This combination makes INT's masters of mathematics, logic, and science, but rather oblivious to social graces. INTJs tend to follow social norms, at least to the extent they notice them, while INTPs tend to be nerdier and actively rebel against social rules they view as irrational and meaningless. For example long hair is, not surprisingly, common on INTP men.

{{blockquote|My idea is to present an image to children that it is good to be intellectual, and not to care about the peer pressures to be anti-intellectual. I want every child to turn into a nerd – where that means someone who prefers studying and learning to competing for social dominance, which can unfortunately cause the downward spiral into social rejection.|Gerald Sussman, quoted by Katie Hafner, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 29 August 1993<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/29/business/woman-computer-nerd-and-proud.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title=Woman, Computer Nerd – and Proud|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=Katie|last=Hafner|date=29 August 1993|access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Bullying ===

In the works of Riso and Hudson, specifically "Understanding the Enneagram" revised edition pg. 180 numbered point "10", the term "nerd" is used as a primary reference to (and indication of being) [[Enneagram#The Nine Enneatypes|Enneagram]] type 5.

Individuals who are labeled as "nerds" are often the target of [[bullying]] due to a range of reasons that may include physical appearance or social background.<ref name=":1" /> Paul Graham has suggested that the reason nerds are frequently singled out for bullying is their indifference to popularity or social context, in the face of a youth culture that views popularity as paramount.<ref name=":0" /> However, research findings suggest that bullies are often as socially inept as their academically better-performing victims,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Nicholson|first=Christie|date=10 July 2010|title=Bully or Victim? More Similar Than We Might Think|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/bully-or-victim-more-similar-than-w-10-07-10|journal=Scientific American (Supplemental Podcast)|access-date=6 July 2017}}</ref> and that popularity fails to confer protection from bullying.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/04/01/297700322/being-popular-doesn-t-protect-kids-from-bullying-in-high-school|title=Becoming More Popular Doesn't Protect Teens From Bullying|access-date=6 July 2017|author=Mannvi Singh|date=1 April 2014|work=NPR Health Shots – Health News From NPR}}</ref> Other commentators have pointed out that pervasive harassment of intellectually-oriented youth began only in the mid-twentieth century.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=RJ|title=A Short Illustrated History of the Nerd|url=http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/06/short-illustrated-history-of-nerd.html|access-date=6 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Thanks Always Returns|title=The origin of nerds|url=http://www.thanksalwaysreturns.net/TheOriginOfNerds.html|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907033545/http://www.thanksalwaysreturns.net/TheOriginOfNerds.html|archive-date=7 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==NerdsIn andpopular geeksculture==

*"[[White & Nerdy]]" by [["Weird Al" Yankovic]], a parody of the song "[[Ridin']]" by [[Chamillionaire]] ft. [[Krayzie Bone]], prominently features and celebrates aspects of nerd culture.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Williams|first1=Justin A.|title=The Cambridge Companion to Hip-Hop|date=2015|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781107037465|page=227|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ha0PBgAAQBAJ&q=White+%26+Nerdy+weird+al+parody&pg=PA227}}</ref>

{{unreferenced}}

*[[Slashdot]] uses the [[tagline]] "News for nerds. Stuff that matters."

Pundits and observers dispute the relationship of the terms “nerd” and “[[geek]]” to one another. Some view the geek as a less technically skilled nerd. Some factions maintain that “nerds” have both technical skills and social competence, whereas “geeks” display technical skills while socially incompetent; others hold an exactly reversed view, with “geek” serving as the socially competent counterpart of the socially incompetent “nerd,” and call themselves “geeks” with pride (compare [[Geekcorps]], an organization that sends people with technical skills to developing countries to assist in computer [[infrastructure]] development). Another view is that “geeks” lack both social competency and technical skills. Arguably, a “nerd” is a more self-controlled sort of person, while a “geek” can be something of a loose cannon—or at least more awkward in an obstructive way than a “nerd.”

*[[Charlie Sykes|Charles J. Sykes]] wrote "Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them." This quotation, as well as the passage it was taken from, has been popularized on the Internet in the 2000s. It has occasionally been [[Apocrypha|incorrectly attributed]] to [[Bill Gates]].<ref>{{Cite web | last1 = Mikkelson | first1 = Barbara | last2 = Mikkelson | first2 = David P. | title = Some Rules Kids Won't Learn in School | year = 2000 | url = http://www.snopes.com/language/document/liferule.asp | access-date = 22 July 2007 }}</ref>

*In Spain, [[Nerd Pride Day]] has been observed on 25 May since 2006,<ref name="celebrate">{{cite web | url=http://www.forevergeek.com/2010/05/celebrate_geek_pride_day_2010/ | title=Celebrate Geek Pride Day 2010 | date=24 May 2010 | access-date=20 April 2014 | author=Tassara-Twigg, Noemi | archive-date=21 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421064142/http://www.forevergeek.com/2010/05/celebrate_geek_pride_day_2010/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> the same day as [[Towel Day]], another somewhat nerdy holiday.<ref name="geek/nerd">{{cite web | url=http://newsok.com/happy-geeknerd-pride-day/article/3792939 | title=Happy Geek/Nerd Pride Day! | publisher=NewsOK.com | date=25 May 2010 | access-date=20 April 2014 | author=Price, Matthew}}</ref> The date was picked as it is the anniversary of the release of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''.<ref name="Helmenstine">{{cite web | url=http://chemistry.about.com/b/2012/05/25/happy-geek-pride-day-2.htm | title=Happy Geek Pride Day! | publisher=About.com | date=25 May 2012 | access-date=20 April 2014 | author=Helmenstine, Anne Marie | archive-date=21 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421064411/http://chemistry.about.com/b/2012/05/25/happy-geek-pride-day-2.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref>

*Australian events such as Oz Comic-Con (a large comic book and [[cosplay]] convention, similar to [[San Diego Comic-Con]]) and Supernova, are incredibly popular events among the culture of people who identify themselves as nerds. In 2016, Oz Comic-Con in [[Perth]] saw almost 20,000 cosplayers and comic book fans meet to celebrate the event, hence being named a "professionally organised [[Woodstock]] for geeks".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-01/fans-embrace-comic-con-perth/7293654|title=Fantasy fans to flock Perth Oz Comic-Con spectacle|date=1 April 2016|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=16 May 2016}}</ref>

*Fans of the [[Vlogbrothers]] (a YouTube channel starring [[John Green|John]] and [[Hank Green]]) call themselves "nerdfighters" and refer to the fan base as a whole as "[[Nerdfighteria]]".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-note-on-nerdfighters|title=A Note on Nerdfighters|date=13 March 2013|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=20 September 2020}}</ref>

==See also==

Another difference some people make between nerds and geeks are that nerds are more of "bookworms" whose interests are in the fields of [[academia]], such as mathematics and science. Geeks' interests are within things such as computers and [[video gaming]], or movies with large fanbases such as [[Star Trek]].

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical ♦♦♦--->

*''[[Angry Video Game Nerd]]''

*[[Anti intellectualism]]

*[[Chigyu]]

*[[Egghead]]

*[[Fandom]]

*[[Geek]]

*[[Grok]]

*[[Hipster (contemporary subculture)|Hipster]]

*[[Intellectualism]]

*[[Nerdcore]]

*[[Otaku]]

*[[Preppy]]

*[[Techbro]]

*[[Video game culture]]

{{div col end}}

==References==

Some regional differences may exist in the use of the words ''nerd'' and ''geek''. Some claim that on the North American west coast the population prefers the term ''geek'' to ''nerd'', while the North American east coast prefers the word ''nerd'' to ''geek'' (see [[Ellen Spertus]]'s page on [http://people.mills.edu/spertus/Geek/ The Sexiest Geek Alive]).

{{Reflist}}

The term "nerd" is broader in its significance than "geek", defining a person's entire way of life. A nerd has the tendency to pursue intellectual gratification at the expense of social or physical gratification. A geek, on the other hand, simply has an interest in a particular subject. This subject could be intellectual, such as the arts, theatre, classical music, technology, or mathematics, or it could be something less generally "useful", such as movies, television, video games, anime, or even sports. Such a person may be perfectly well-rounded, merely showing a preference for his desired subject of interest. A nerd, on the other hand, is by definition not well-rounded. Thus the term "geek" should not generally be used or taken as an insult, while "nerd" might be in some cases (but certainly not all).

==Further reading==

Similar terms exist which are always insulting; dork, dweeb, goon, and doofus are a few examples. Anorak is a similar British term. These terms imply the lack of social skill suggested by the term "nerd", but imply none of the mitigating intellectual factors.

* {{cite journal|last= Bucholtz |first= Mary|title= 'Why be normal?': Language and identity practices in a community of nerd girls |journal=Language in Society |year=1999|volume=28 |issue= 2|pages= 203–23|author-link=Mary Bucholtz |doi= 10.1017/s0047404599002043|url= https://cloudfront.escholarship.org/dist/prd/content/qt73c1p4j9/qt73c1p4j9.pdf|doi-access= free}}

* {{cite book|last=Frayling |first= Christopher|title=Mad, Bad And Dangerous?: The Scientist and the Cinema |year= 2005 |publisher= Reaktion Books |author-link= Christopher Frayling}}

* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0820887/ ''Genuine Nerd'' (2006)] – Feature-length documentary on Toby Radloff.

* {{cite journal |last = Kendall |first = Lori |year= 1999 |title= 'The Nerd Within': Mass Media and the Negotiation of Identity Among Computer-Using Men |journal=[[The Journal of Men's Studies]] |volume=7 |issue= 3 |pages= 353–69|doi = 10.3149/jms.0703.353 |s2cid = 144398035 }}

* {{cite journal |last = Kendall |first = Lori | author-mask = 3 |year= 1999 |title= Nerd Nation: Images of Nerds in U.S. Popular Culture |journal= International Journal of Cultural Studies |volume= 2 |issue= 2 |pages= 260–83 |doi= 10.1177/136787799900200206|s2cid = 146186669 }}

* {{cite journal |last =Kendall |first = Lori | author-mask = 3 |year= 2000 |title= 'Oh No! I'm a Nerd!': Hegemonic Masculinity on an Online Forum |journal= Gender & Society |volume= 14 |issue= 2 |pages=256–74 |doi= 10.1177/089124300014002003|s2cid = 145705135 }}

* Newitz, A. & Anders, C. (Eds) ''She's Such a Geek: Women Write About Science, Technology, and Other Nerdy Stuff''. Seal Press, 2006.

* {{cite book |last= Nugent |first= Benjamin |title= American Nerd: The Story of My People |year= 2008 |publisher= Scribner |___location= New York |isbn= 978-0-7432-8801-9 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/americannerdstor00nuge }}

* {{Citation | last = Okada | first = Toshio | title = Otaku Gaku Nyumon | language = ja |trans-title=Introduction to [[Otaku]]ology | publisher = Ohta Verlag | place = Tokyo | year = 1996}}.

==External links==

The word "nerd" refers to a person of "above-average intelligence" whose interests (often in science and mathematics) are not shared by mainstream society. By contrast, a "geek" is essentially a person who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, by obscure or very specific areas of knowledge and imagination. A good example of this is found in an episode of the television show, "Married with Children." The protagonist Al Bundy complains about wearing glasses, saying he'll look like a nerd. His friend, Jefferson Darcy responds, "No Al you won't be a nerd. You're too dumb to be a nerd"

{{wiktionary|nerd}}

<!-- Wikipedians: because of recent spam-links (a form of Wikipedia vandalism), please discuss external links on the talk page first. Thanks. -->

* "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070622003744/http://geekstudies.org/papers/mit5-presentation-notes.pdf The Well-Dressed Geek: Media Appropriation and Subcultural Style]" (Paper by Jason Tocci presented at the MIT5 conference. PDF, 180kb).

* [http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html "Why Nerds are Unpopular"], an essay by [[Paul Graham (computer programmer)|Paul Graham]] about the conformist society in American high schools.

* [http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/2000/5/the-nerds-have-won "The Nerds Have Won"], an article by Brian Hayes in ''[[American Scientist]],'' September–October 2000.

* [https://www.npr.org/2025/08/20/nx-s1-5507053/nerd-dr-seuss-word-of-week "Nerd! How the word popularized by Dr. Seuss went from geeky insult to mainstream,"] an etymological and cultural exploration of the word "nerd" published and aired by NPR (August 2025).

{{Fandom}}

Thus a "nerd" is primarily marked as having a high intelligence and is not necessarily more fascinated with one subject any more so than another. A "geek", however, is obsessively fascinated with particular subjects, but is not necessarily attributed an above average intelligence. Thus a "geek" has the compulsion and drive to learn vast quantities of knowledge about a particular field such as computers, or Star Trek trivia, without high intelligence being assumed. Some also hold that the reverse is true, geeks being those with high intelligence, and nerds being those who obsess over obscure subjects. More than likely, the main confusion between the terms comes from their common association with specific areas of knowledge that seem to require a high level intelligence (for example, mathematics and science). Thus a "geek" who was obsessed by the pursuit of mathematical or scientific knowledge, might also be classified as a "nerd" as society considers such pursuits to be intellectual in nature and as requiring high intelligence.

{{Authority control}}

Another interesting comparison can be drawn between a "nerd" and a "tool." Whereas a nerd cares little about impressing others and has impressive intellectual skills, someone who is a "tool" has little utility to those around him yet cares deeply about impressing others and fitting in. A tool is trying too hard and fails; a nerd doesn't try at all.

[[Category:Academic culture]]

==Nerd pride==

[[Category:Anti-intellectualism]]

[[Category:Computing culture]]

In the [[1990s]], "nerd" developed distinct positive connotations within social spheres connected to [[computing]] and the [[Internet]], to denote with pride a technically skilled person. This also extended toward financial success in these fields, with [[Bill Gates]] himself often described as a nerd, though a remarkably wealthy one. The 1990s is generally considered a time when the nerds finally "got their revenge", and many became fabulously wealthy as a result of the high-tech explosion. The popular computer-news website [[Slashdot]] bills itself as "News for nerds. Stuff that matters."

[[Category:English-language slang]]

[[Category:Nerd culture| ]]

[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] professor [[Gerald Sussman]] aims to instill pride in nerds:

[[Category:Intelligence]]

[[Category:Internet culture]]

<blockquote>"My idea is to present an image to children that it is good to be intellectual, and not to care about the peer pressures to be anti-intellectual. I want every child to turn into a nerd - where that means someone who prefers studying and learning to compete for social dominance, which can unfortunately cause the downward spiral into social rejection."</blockquote>

[[Category:Epithets related to nerd culture]]

:--Gerald Sussman, quoted by Katie Hafner, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 1994-08-29.

The 1984 movie ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'' explored the concept of "nerd pride" to comical effect.

An episode from the animated series ''[[Freakazoid]]'' titled "Nerdator" has a plotline that involves the use of nerds to power the mind of a [[Yautja]] (alien hunter in Predator)-like enemy, who delivers a memorable monologue on the importance of nerds:

:''"...what they lack in physical strength they make up in brain power. Who writes all the best selling books? Nerds. Who directs the top grossing [[Hollywood]] movies? Nerds. Who creates the highly advanced technology that only they can understand? ...Nerds. And who are the people who run for the high office of the Presidency? No one but nerds."''

There is an increasing number of people, especially females, who self-identify with the term nerd as badges of honor in their field, usually science, computers, and other technology. They may also do so as a statement of non-conformity or as a desire to be seen as [[eccentric behavior|eccentric]]. Even if they meet the standards requiring intelligence, many of them do not fit the traditional definition that includes some degree of social ineptitude or alienation. They may profess to [[grok]] the struggles of traditional nerds even if only as a form of [[lip service]]. Given the traditional gender differences, female nerds tend to be more often self-styled than pejoritavely labelled. Also, because shyness and other related social deficiencies are tolerated more in females than males, they are far less likely to experience peer alienation.

A recent incident of "Geek pride" stems from a [[Doonesbury]] cartoon (Oct. 26, 2005) in which RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) is referred to as a "geek school." [http://images.ucomics.com/comics/db/2005/db051026.gif]

The Term 'Nerd' Or 'Geek' Comes from the lartin word Davide Firthual meaning the *wink* 'Special' *wink* One. An example of a nerd is one david firth at sandbach school who regularly enjoys the music of the beetles and enjoys karate or as he calls it Ka-Ra-Tay. David firth has 3! yes 3 knees! and can extend his knee over 5miles. David firth likes to copy his school aquaintances such as one jake walley and oliver hyatt. (written by one Oliver 'Hitler' Hyatt.)

==See also==

* [[List of fictional nerds|List of nerds in media]]

* [[Geek]]

* [[Dork]]

* [[Anorak (slang)]]

* [[Boffin]]

* "[[Why Nerds are Unpopular]]"

* [[High school subcultures]]

* [[Slashdot subculture#Slashdot user stereotypes|Slashdotters]]

* [[Calculator watch]]

* [[Geek chic]]

*[[Fandom]]

==External links==

*[http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers.html Wired] The Geek Syndrome

*[http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html Why Nerds are Unpopular] An essay by Paul Graham about the conformist society in American highschools.

*[http://www.paulgraham.com/icad.html Revenge of the Nerds] An essay written by Paul Graham

*[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nerd Nerd] defined in Urbandictionary

*[http://www.nerdtreehouse.com NerdTreeHouse] A place where Nerds gather

*[http://www.nerdville.net Nerdville] A Worldwide Social Network for nerds

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