{"id":6365,"date":"2013-09-05T14:33:43","date_gmt":"2013-09-05T18:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/?p=6365"},"modified":"2013-09-05T15:53:45","modified_gmt":"2013-09-05T19:53:45","slug":"listening-post-america-17-geeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/2013\/09\/05\/listening-post-america-17-geeks\/","title":{"rendered":"Listening Post: America–17% geeks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Venn<\/a>

Venn diagram of the geek-nerd-dork-dweeb personality spectrum. Graphic: Democraticunderground<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

I am among the the 17% of Americans who (according to mastersinit.org<\/a>), when asked, will self-identify as “geeks.” A much smaller subset will self-identify as “nerds.” A much larger percentage of Americans, no doubt, will ask “What’s the difference?” This has long been a matter of debate, particularly on the Internet, where geeks, nerds and other less-savory specimens are likely to congregate.<\/p>\n

Originally, a “geek” was a circus performer, more particularly, the kind of circus performer that would bite the head off a live chicken. And “nerd” was coined in 1954 by Dr. Seuss, in a line of verse reading “A nerkle, a nerd, and a seersucker, too!” But in popular usage, the terms have taken on different shadings. According to wikihow.com:<\/a><\/p>\n

“A geek is somebody who is generally very knowledgeable\u2014even to the point of obsession\u2014about a topic… it’s important to note that geeks are generally social. They have their fascination in what makes them unique, but you probably wouldn’t know of their geekitude unless they told you about it.<\/p>\n

The general connotation [of nerd] is of an irritating, unattractive person who may be brilliant, but who chooses to focus on non-social pursuits. Another definition of “nerd” is a four letter word with a six-figure income.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Democraticunderground.com<\/a> digs in a little deeper:<\/p>\n

Geek: Someone who spends a lot of time and energy in a certain special but conventional area… A geek is an outwardly normal person who can relate to others in general but who has taken the time to learn specific technical skills and would rather talk about their special obsession than anything else. They are generally not athletic and enjoy sedentary pursuits like video games, comic books, being on the internet, etc… Geeks can be self-confident and proud of their traits.<\/p>\n

Nerd: Someone with a great interest in academic subjects like math and science and who is socially awkward and has trouble relating to others outside of their fields… Nerds generally are self-confident in the academic setting and take pride in their intellect and band together with other nerds although their social skills outside of their academic obsession are diminished.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They also expand the personality spectrum to include “dorks” and “dweebs,” and provide the handy Venn diagram above to show you the traits shared and not shared by each of the four types. A Venn diagram, by the way, almost always tests positive for the presence of “nerd.”<\/p>\n

You might say, “Well, they all have one thing in common–they’re losers<\/em>!” You might, that is, if you were a “hunk,” a “babe” or a “jock.” But actually, both geeks and nerds have a good shot at being winners. I, for example, have been in a stable relationship for forty years and have almost always been employed full time, and Wall Street is famously thick with nerds. In fact, or at least factoid, 31% of Americans believe geeks have a higher chance of being successful. No one, however, is laying odds on dweebs and dorks. It has been suggested that hygiene can be an issue. Sorry.<\/p>\n

If you are in doubt as to which category you might fall in yourself, okcupid.com offers a handy online “Nerd, Geek or Dork” test<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Taking online tests?–I think that’s another “nerd” indicator. But let me know how you do, in a comment below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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