On “Geek” Versus “Nerd”

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A scientific study http://slackprop.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/on-geek-versus-nerd/

Look at the scatter plot, I think I must be a Gnerd.

Or perhaps a Nereek?

I agree generally with a lot of what the article says, but this statement ^ I do not agree with. A Geek can be a practitioner just as easily as a nerd can.

I do think that Geeks are more comfortable with their own oddness - often revel in it and consider it a badge of honor. They tend to be less uptight about others' opinions of their obsessions, less concerned with whether or not their peers at large "get them" and form cliques of other Geeks with similar obsessive interests. If you aren't into what they're into, then you're not really worth talking to. They disdain and shun the mainstream.


Nerds are less aware of just how odd they appear. They may be well aware that they are a breed apart from those around them, but still feel the desire to 'fit in' and experience more pain as a result of their alienation and ostracized status. They intellectualize everything and have an aura of naivete. They desperately want to believe that if they just explain their obsessive interest properly, others will be converted and see why it's so fascinating. The covet the mainstream but have no clue how to participate in it.

It's certainly possible to have aspects of both, but at the end of the day, you're probably more of one, than of the other.

I answer to both or either.

According to this study it's better to be nerd in intellectual sense. But in social or emotional it's better to be geek.

It's nice to be geek if you are nerd. It's much easier and pleasurable to achieve something when you have fun from process. (passion worker)

But being geek without being nerd... It's just to impress someone or get some pleasure from process. It maybe stupid, but if you have fun from it why not.