a personal perspective on popular american culture: “geeks...

A Personal Perspective on Popular American Culture:

“Geeks” and “Nerds”“Geeks” and “Nerds”

Etymology, socio-economic and cultural development of the

concepts of “nerds” and “geeks” in American culture

Why geeks and nerds?

• Describing “American culture”

– Social interactions and structures in American

high schools and colleges

• Contemporary relevance• Contemporary relevance

– Popularity and frequency of terminology and

them in contemporary American (“pop”)

culture

• Particular definition

– Difficulties of explaining and defining the

terms

What are geeks and nerds?

Main characters from television series, The Big Bang Theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vlcsnap-4765A.PNG

What are geeks and nerds?

• Nerd

– “unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept

person;

– especially: one slavishly devoted to – especially: one slavishly devoted to

intellectual or academic pursuits

– ‘computer nerds’”

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd

Possible etymological origin of “nerd”

From If I Ran The Zoo, © 1950, Dr. Seusshttp://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/If-I-Ran-The-Zoo.gif

Possible etymological origin of “nerd”

• “The first documented use of the word Nerd is in

the 1950 Dr. Seuss story, If I Ran the Zoo”

Nerd, from If I Ran The Zoo, © 1950, Dr. Seusshttp://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/nerd.html

What are nerds?

• “The stereotypical nerd is…

– intelligent…

– but socially and physically awkward.”

– “In film and television depictions, nerds are

disproportionately

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd

disproportionately

• white males

• with very large glasses,

• braces (…)

• and pants highly lifted up”

What are nerds?

“Nerd”http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/dork.html

What are nerds?

…if Johnny Depp were a “nerd”…http://www.freakingnews.com/Celebrity-Nerds-Pictures--1614.asp

What are geeks?

• Geek

– “an enthusiast or expert…

– especially in a technological field or activity…

– ‘computer geek’”– ‘computer geek’”

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geek?show=0&t=1303801116

What are geeks?

“Computer Geek”http://www.facebookstatuses.co.uk/computer-geek-jokes-funny

Also “dorks”…What is a “dork”?• Dork

– “slang…also used as synonym for nerd or geek”

– “Often confused with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same level of intelligence” (http://www.google.com.hk/search?hl=zh-CN&source=hp&biw=800&bih=430&q=dork&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=)

• “a person who behaves awkwardly around other people and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc.and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc.

– Back in high school, all the kids thought he was a dork. [=nerd, loser]

– I look like a complete dork in these clothes.

• —dorky /�doɚki/ adjective dork·i·er; dork·i·est

– He's that tall, dorky [=nerdy] guy with the glasses”

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dork

What are dorks?

Children’s book cover, “Dork In Disguise” by Carol Gormanhttp://www.harpercollins.com/books/Dork-Disguise-Carol-Gorman/?isbn=9780064408912

What kind of nerd are you?

Computer nerd?

Anime nerd?

Science nerd?

Collector nerd?Collector nerd?

Enginerd?

Fantasy nerd?

Sci-Fi nerd?

Puzzle nerd?

Science Nerd“… is proud of his/her chemistry set, ant farm, invisible man/woman, microscope, binoculars, magnifying glass,

this nerd dreams of one day living on the moon”

http://socyberty.com/subcultures/top-ten-nerd-types-their-toys/

Collector Nerd“voracious collector of all things nerd including trader

cards, action figures, comic books, stamps, Happy Meal toys”


Enginerd“…are known to spend hours upon hours with their Ham

Radios (…) Lincoln Logs, Legos, model kits”


Fantasy Nerd“… will have a closet stuffed with Crossbows & Catapults

(…) World of Warcraft (and all other fantasy video

games), costumes, figurines, cloaks (…)”


Sci-Fi Nerd“… will have shelves and shelves of sci-fi action figures,

anything Star Wars, Star Trek or Tolkien-related, weaponry (…) & other duplicated gadgets”


Puzzle Nerd“… indoor nerd loves Rubik’s Cube, crosswords, sudoku,

jigsaws, riddles”


Revenge of the “nerds”

Theatrical release poster for the 1984 film, Revenge of the Nerdshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Revengeofthenerdsposter.jpg

Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be nerdy

• The American concepts of “nerds”, “geeks”, “dorks”, etc. have become “cool”

“Stereotypical nerd qualities have evolved in recent years…

– from awkwardness and social ostracism…– from awkwardness and social ostracism…

– to an allegedly more widespread acceptance

and sometimes even celebration of their

abilities.”


Contemporary “nerds”: Cool to be “nerdy”

Bill Gates & Mark Elliot Zuckerberghttp://www.politicolnews.com/bill-gates/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg


• “rise of the computer industry

– has allowed many "nerdy" people (most

notably Bill Gates) to accumulate large

fortunes and other measures of social

prestige. prestige.

• Some measure of nerdiness is allegedly considered desirable…

– intelligence,

– interesting,

– able to earn a large salaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd


• Harvey Pekar, author of underground comics, American Splendor

• "The Genuine Nerd from Cleveland, Ohio"[

Harvey Pekar and American Splendorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Pekar


“… waning emphasis on the social awkwardness of nerds …

with more attention placed on their intelligence and academic enthusiasm”



“The view of the nerd in popular culture has certainly changed over the years, and it is becoming more and more accepted.”

“The media has shifted from a stance of picking on nerds like everyone else, to using them as a tool to gain audiences, reflecting the higher cultural esteem of the

nerd.”

From “Four-Eyes No More: The New Nerd” by Chris Hoffer, 2008http://www.mhlearningsolutions.com/commonplace/index.php?q=node/3793

nerd.”

“We all have a little bit of nerd in us here or there; it’s just a matter of finding it”

Geeks and Nerds - The Big Bang Theory: The

Cornhusker Vortex (Season III, Episode 6)

Main characters from television series, The Big Bang Theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vlcsnap-4765A.PNG

ReferencesNerd

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd

http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/nerd.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge_of_the_Nerds



Dork

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dork

Geek

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geek?show=0&t=1303801116

a personal perspective on popular american culture: “geeks...

Documents