| Author | Posts |
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| Author | Posts |
| January 15, 2012 at 3:07 pm #32482 | |
 Hawkes | Spinning off from this topic: http://yourpants.org/pantsforum/topic/tell-me-why-is-nerd-not-a-negative-word It seems like a lot of people categorize the general “nerd” as someone who is enthusiastic about the things they love, in the sort of jump up and down, wail your head off kind of way. Why? Since when did nerd mean “over-enthusiastic HP cheerleader” or “manic pixie for DC comics”? When did it arise that people got the notion that the earlier, negative connotation of nerd (antisocial, quiet, awkward) could in some possible way express large bouts of excitement? Now it feels like unless you become a total ape over something, obsess over something, you aren’t a “nerd”, and it’s very alienating. Thoughts? |
| January 15, 2012 at 6:16 pm #32582 | |
 Luke | Ha, sounds very like what i posted on the thread that you mentioned at the start :p That’s fine, it gives me a chance to expand a little on what I said and to direct it in a more..well..direct manner. As I said in the other thread, I think a lot of it has to do with the broadening of society’s mind. In the past, tv shows would portray nerds as being reclusive, shy, antisocial etc. And some tv shows, particularly shows like that abominable Victorious still do that. However, in more modern culture it has become more accepted to be a nerd. I think that this is mainly due to more nerds becoming confident and open about their label. In addition, there is more of an emphasis in media on “nerds” being heroes. Take Hermione in Harry Potter. Smart, loyal..yeah she’s not hugely popular (like msot nerds) but she’s always portrayed as a good role model for people. So moving onto people having to be overly-enthusiastic about things. I would agree that a lot of people here connect going “totally ape” over something that isn’t a traditionally popular topic (sports, girls, boys etc) is what classifies a nerd. I think that that is largely due to the vlogbrothers definition of it, a definition which should really only be taken as scratching the surface of what a nerd is. A nerd could be quietly enthusiastic about things, a nerd could be shy (but not antisocial). Just because they don’t wear their passion and “nerdy” interests on their sleeve as it were, does that make them less of a nerd than say, someone who is very open about their enjoyment of Doctor Who? Finally, on a personal note, I would consider myself a nerd. I consider my hobbies and past-times, such as internet and reading and stuff like that, to be very much in the nerdy category. However, I own no merch from internet famous people, nor do I spend a huge amount of time in the library. I’d consider myself to be slightly passionate, or quietly passionate about a lot of things similar to these. If people don’t agree that I’m a nerd, then so be it. It is, in short, simply a label. A label is just a name to shorten something that could take 100s of words to explain. I wouldn’t worry about being alienated if I were you. As I said, it’s just a label, and if people care more about a label than the person (the popularisation of “nerd-culture”) then they’re not worth worrying about in my opinion. |
| January 15, 2012 at 6:39 pm #32605 | |
| Hawkes | “Just because they don’t wear their passion and “nerdy” interests on their sleeve as it were, does that make them less of a nerd than say, someone who is very open about their enjoyment of Doctor Who?” Just because someone isn’t loudly enthusiastic about something, doesn’t mean they aren’t passionate about it. You can be open with your passions without giving out a high pitched squeal when something happens in your fandom. You can really devote yourself to and be infatuated with something in particular without “going ape”, but the assumption often made by this “nerd stereotype” is that if you aren’t blowing things out of proportion, you aren’t a real fan of (insert nerdy thing here). But the only way I see passion accepted around here is when someone is loud about it. |
| January 15, 2012 at 6:46 pm #32613 | |
| Luke | @hawke that was what i was trying to express myself, albeit in a more black and white fashion. When I say that someone is openly enthusiastic about something it can mean anything from being quietly enthusiastic, a sort of relaxed type of enjoyment, or in the “OMG!!” type, or as you so accurately put it “going ape”. And yes, I would agree with you that for the most part people around here seem to connect passion with loud, caps locked, enthusiasm, or with high pitched squeals (“fangirling”). Passion is the dedication of yourself to something, it’s not about who can scream the loudest. In fact, I would probably be of the unpopular opinion that, if you have to squeal and shout and something in order to prove that you’re a “real fan” then you’re not a real fan at all, are you? I mean sure, there are some for whom that would be just a natural reaction. However, there are others who do it as a sort of pose, and then claim to be the real fans. No, the “real fans”, as far as I can see, are the ones who dedicate themselves to something, and no matter what continue to dedicate themselves to it. It doesn’t matter if they tell others about their dedication or not, although as someone who’s not a “real fan” of anything I can’t particularly say what makes one or not. |
| January 25, 2012 at 9:41 pm #42445 | |
 Nousheen | To be honest I have a slightly different definition of nerd . I think a nerd is someone who values intelligence. I don’t mean like academic intelligence, you don’t have to get straight A’s to be a nerd. But I feel that nerds are people who enjoy learning and understanding things. |
| January 25, 2012 at 10:09 pm #42458 | |
 Wietske | I agree with all that has been said here. I think that a nerd is passionate about impopular things, like for example like @justblamethenargles said intelligence. I think the passion doesn’t need to be out loud. I myself can’t keep quiet about things I’m passionate about, but that’s just me and some people are quietly passionate about things, but that doesn’t make it less nerdy. I think that you need to enjoy learning and understanding things before you can be a nerd. These things can be everything.
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| January 25, 2012 at 11:51 pm #42517 | |
 Heylin | reading this, here are my two cents worth: a) nerds do not need to be obviously overenthusiastic, but they can be (i guess?) b) a true nerd does have something that really interests him/her, but it doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone about it c) the girl sitting in a corner reading a textbook, and never going to parties is a nerd, but the girl at every party who tells people she likes star wars soooooo much after having seen it once 5 years ago is not a nerd. d) i am also quite annoyed that being a nerd is now something cool and non-nerds call themselves nerds e) i quite like geek-chic though, with david tennant being a prime example of a cool geek g) would someone care to rewrite the wikipedia page? atm it says derogatory? someone should put in, that it is actually changing it’s meaning right now, like gay did: used to be derogatory, but now gays use and like the word themselves (i guess not all though) h) did i skip f) ? |
| February 4, 2012 at 2:57 pm #48720 | |
 Jerky Malloy | @hawke >When did it arise that people got the notion that the earlier, negative connotation of nerd (antisocial, quiet, awkward) could in some possible way express large bouts of excitement? When social norms shifted (between the ’80s and ’90s) and apathy and a generally nihilistic attitude became more fashionable than being socially successful and dominant. Those of you here who consider yourselves “nerds” are less like the nerds of yesteryear than the hipsters of today. |
| February 5, 2012 at 8:24 am #49153 | |
 Tom | @Hawkes: language changes, adapts; we have no control over it and nor should we. But define yourself, don’t be defined by “over-enthusiastic HP cheerleader” or “manic pixie for DC comics” – you are you. |
| February 6, 2012 at 4:05 am #49688 | |
 Forest | A nerd often refers to someone with an extreme obsession in something, it could be computers, video games, music, anything really. Which, yes, implies enthusiasm. Another aspect of a lot of obsessed people is a lack of social skills and difficulty carrying on a conversation about anything other than there obsession, and when talking about an obsession, have trouble knowing when to stop talking. Nerd used to have more of a negative connotation but around these parts it obviously doesn’t, the negative connotation, obviously focuses on the negative side of obsession, positive connotations focus on the positive side, like the word eccentric for example. |
| February 12, 2012 at 8:41 pm #52625 | |
 Maddie | I think a nerd is someone who doesn’t care what other people think; someone who isn’t afraid to be himself/herself. |
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