Geeks, Nerds, Dorks

I’m a self-admitted geek. I have deep interest in things normally considered outside the mainstream: super heroes, science fiction and fantasy, games, etc. A geek is not a freak, we don’t usually impose our interests on other people, and we aren’t always socially awkward.

It’s quite possible for a D&D geek to carry on a conversation about the local sports team. A Star Wars geek can teach a college-level History class. A Lord of the Rings geek can discuss the best weight of motor oil for your truck. A comic book geek might even perform your marriage ceremony. I have met these geeks.

Nowadays, you can use the term “geek” to identify anyone with a deep interest in anything, not just things non-mainstream — an interest deeper than can be expressed in simple small talk. For instance, there are car geeks, geography geeks, baseball geeks, needlepoint geeks, etc. (Cowgrit is becoming quite the Disney World geek :-) As a basic identification, if you regularly go to any Internet site to read or write about a subject, you’re a geek on that subject. (This includes brogrit, who is a rock geek — admit it.)

There should be no stigma to being a geek about something. Geeks can be likable people even if you don’t share their interest. In fact, I’d posit that most people of the world are geeks, in at least one subject. Only very boring people have no deep interest in anything.

A nerd, though, is a geek who is at least a little socially awkward. You can probably identify a nerd by sight, whereas a geek can be incognito until you get to know them or happen to hit on their particular geek subject. Nerds can also be likable once you get past their social ineptitude.

A dork, sadly, is the guy or gal that nerds and geeks avoid just as much as anyone else. Dorks will drive away a geek even if he or she is knowledgeable of the geek’s obsession. A nerd probably lacks the social skill to get away from a dork, but will want to escape just as desperately. Whereas a nerd probably is aware of his or her social shortcomings, a dork is probably oblivious to his or her annoying personality.

I am definitely a geek. I have been a nerd at times, especially in my early teen years. But I dearly hope I’ve never really been a dork.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com