Nerd, as a stereotypical or archetypal designation, refers to people of above-average intelligence whose interests (often in science and mathematics) are not shared by mainstream society.
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.
The term "nerd", meaning "square" goes back at least to 1951, when Newsweek reported the usage as relatively new in Detroit. By the 1960s, it took on conotations 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 version of 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 protectors with the acronym N.E.R.D. printed on them.
The stereotypical nerd image as seen in the mass media and cartoons equates to a young man wearing thick black eyeglasses (preferably broken and taped up with electrical tape), pocket protectors, high-water pants and dress shirts or clothes generally too formal for the circumstances. Sometimes the stereotype lacks personal hygiene skills, and he will typically appear either very skinny or extremely fat. Stereotypical nerds usually lack social graces and the ability to perform social interaction, except on technical topics.
In association with their image in certain Western societies as a so-called Model Minority, some East Asians get stereotyped as studious and untalkative nerds.
Nerds in art and literature
Dramatic depictions of good nerds typically have them as good-hearted people who wish harm on no one, but whom their obvious intellectual inferiors bully. 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; so a put-upon person has a wonderful secret. Nerds in supporting roles often feature as technological geniuses who invent or repair plot devices that enable the main characters to move towards a goal. They also serve as socially inept foils to much more charming main characters.
Evil nerds, typically embittered through a lifetime lived as a social outcast and seeking revenge upon the world, provide a popular archetype for the supervillain, often as a mad scientist.
Nerds in anime often wear round white opaque glasses, with or without a spiral drawn on them. If they wear transparent glasses, they like to adjust their glasses so that they reflect light, and give an intimidating feeling. These characters usually play more important parts in the story than in western entertainment, probably due to the Japanese culture's emphasis on academic work and studies rather than on social success. (Note that people who make anime or manga would themselves often qualify as otaku or nerds.)
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 towards financial success in these fields, with Bill Gates himself often described as a nerd, though a remarkably wealthy one. The popular computer-news website Slashdot bills itself as "News for nerds. Stuff that matters."
Non-nerds often think of nerds as intelligent yet socially awkward people. Stereotypically, in high school, the more "popular" or more socially adept teens 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 polymaths. Topics dealing with computers and technology, comic books, role playing games, classical music, artificial intelligence, anime, film, science fiction and fantasy literature have become heavily associated with nerds.
Because of these tendencies, some have noticed similarities between nerdy behavior and the neurological disorder of Asperger's syndrome. No studies have shown a correlation, causal or other relationship between the two; only anecdotal evidence suggests a connection.
Nerds and geeks
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 Third World countries to assist in computer infrastructure development). Another view is that "geeks" lack both social competency and technical skills.
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 The Sexiest Geek Alive). Others on the east coast dispute this, claiming that they have always found nerd used disparagingly and geek used in a positive light. In Britain, this latter view tends to apply — nerd has more offensive connotations than geek, which speakers of British English often use affectionately. Compare anorak.
The word nerd gained currency from the 1950s at a time when many school students did not see excelling at school as "cool". Therefore nerd originated as a derogatory word (although some people now consider it a compliment), while the term geek became widespread later (1980s) and has avoided many of the negative connotations. Geek as a milder version of nerd may also apply to socially insignificant people, while nerd refers more to socially inept people.
However, personal preferences aside, if you really get down to the base of the two words there are two distinct focuses that set them apart. Such is observed in the initial entries of the words; “nerd,” is a stereotypical or archetypal designational or archetypal designation, referring to people of "above-average intelligence" whose interests (often in science and mathematics) are not shared by mainstream society. A "geek" is a person who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, by obscure or very specific areas of knowledge and imagination. Thus essentially a "nerd" is often marked as having a high intelligence and not necessarily more fascinated with one subject anymore so than another. A "geek" however is obsessively fascinated with particular subjects, yet does not necessarily have 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 being required to have a high intelligence. More than likely the main confusion between the terms comes from specific areas of knowledge, which would seem to require a high intelligence to be extremely knowledgeable in, such as mathematics and science. Thus a "geek" who was obsessed in the pursuit of mathematical or scientific knowledge, may be classified as a "nerd" as society considers such pursuits to be intellectual in nature and one would appear to need a higher than average intellect to pursue such subjects. Both "nerds" and "geeks" would tend to be socially inept in this case, but not as a necessary requirement.
Nerds and personality theory
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 type 5.
Geeks and nerds are Myers-Briggs Type Indicator INTP, or to a lesser extent INTJ. INTP is the classic programmer type, INTJ the classic scientist type. These are the Introverted iNtuitive Thinkers. 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 towards 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 math and 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 surprisingly common on INTP men.
Nerd pride
MIT professor Gerald Sussman aims to instill pride in nerds:
- 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.
- -- Gerald Sussman, quoted by Katie Hafner, "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 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."
See also
External links
- Wired The Geek Syndrome
- Revenge of the Nerds An essay written by Paul Graham
- The Nerd Test A Fun, Online Nerd Test (are you a nerd?)
- Nerds To Go Looking for a nerd? Order one here
- Nerd defined in Urbandictionary