An alarming trend that we’ve noticed at the Militant Geek HQ is the sloppy usage of the terms ‘geek’, ‘nerd’, and ‘dork’. It was almost as if certain individuals assumed that they meant the same thing! For the record Geeks are those that have technical aptitude, nerds are bright but socially awkward, and dorks are just inept excuses for protoplasm. To prevent such future travesties of verboten wonders the retired circus-monkey crew at Militant Geek has prepared this handy comparison chart:
Geek vs. Nerd vs. Dork
Fictional Differences Expressed in Terms of Everyday Items
| GEEK | NERD | DORK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Cell-Phone Concern | Does it have BlueTooth? | Does it play games? | Who would I call? |
| Mantra | Can we fix it? Yes we can! | The meek shall inherit the earth | Where’s the remote? |
| Dream Job(s) | Nasa/ILM/Google | Wizards of the Coast/Marvel Comics | ‘American Idol’ Archivist |
| Uniform | Jeans and Ironic T | Penny loafers and Acne | Whatever Mom wants |
| Starter Apartment Furniture | Computer Desk | Kitchen Table for D&D | Starter Apartment? |
| Favorite Sport | Robot Wars | Captain Kirk Drinking Game | Handheld video poker |
| Playlists | Knight Rider/A-Team Mashups | Lord of the Rings/Star Wars Soundtracks | 139.5 ‘Best Hits of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond!!!’ |
| Favorite Childhood Toy | Legos | Superhero |
Own snot |
| Boner Worthy | API Documentation | Babylon 5 Marathon | Bra section in the JCPenny Catalogue |
What did we miss?
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36 Comments
You missed:
Klingon:
(geek) = I know what it is.
(nerd) = I know half the language.
(dork) = Is that what mom put in my dryer?
Computer of choice:
geek = Mac Pro
nerd = PC
dork = See Favorite Sport
I’ve noticed that whichever of “nerd” and “geek” is the “good” one or the “bad” one is highly regional. “Dork”, however, is always an insult
Lunch:
Geek: Skittles and Diet Coke
Nerd: PB&J, crusts cut off
Dork: Steamed carrots
haha, not bad. except for robot wars and knight rider/a-team mashups, i’m with you. i’d change handheld poker to online poker or… mmorpg …someone’s gotta havea mmorpg, at least! instead of robot wars, perhaps… beyond2000, zdtv, cnet (all defunct)… maybe the new equivalent is Twit. And instead of knight rider/a-team mashups… put… hmm, i could see movie soundtracks here… but i’d keep that on nerd… so, probably just billboard tops.
geek = an intelligent guy that might overcome the man someday, but may just burn out, wind up with a dull wife, 2.5 kids, a dog, all the while languishing suburban with a midlife crisis looming.
nerd = a self aware genius whose intelligence is a little painful to take, but you tolerate him b/c he can be instrumental… but also someone you might leave off the invite list by mistake. ouch.
dork = stuck in some wierd time/emotional warp, but otherwise a genius… someone you invite to the holiday party b/c he’s such an oddball that he’s a hoot. the irony of course is that the dork doesnt get his own appeal…
yay, personas. lol. anyway, good job.
The dork gets the chicks.
Sad but true. Sad, but true.
For geeks
Chief Cell-Phone Concern: Does it have an external antenna conection
Mantra: cool what can we blow up with it
Dream: job add Sandia and any interesting Defence related reaserch
Dream pc – ah I’me going to have to run some more three phase in here for this baby.
On mash-ups got to be Bab5 and BSG Kira Vs Suzotchka (possibly with a vat of chocolate involved)
Interesting. I would totally reverse the Geek and Nerd columns. To me, Nerds are Geeks with the brains to back it up. And Nerds are fundamentally producers, while Geeks are consumers.
A Geek would camp out in line 3 days (weeks?) to see a new sci fi movie, while a Nerd would spend 3 months writing their own raytracer and keyframer to create an homage to the movie.
Maybe, as someone, suggested, Geek vs. Nerd varies regionally?
Definite regional differences! Here in the Bay Area, we geeks do seem to be — if not admired — at least pleasantly tolerated and not made fun of like we were in high school.
However, when I was visiting friends in Australia, they made it very clear that they perceive the geek/nerd differences in a completely opposite way.
PWND!!!
From Wikipedia:
Geek – “A geek is an individual who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, by obscure or very specific areas of knowledge and imagination, usually electronic or virtual in nature.”
Nerd – “Nerd, as a stereotypical or archetypal designation, refers to somebody who passionately pursues intellectual or esoteric interests – such as books and video games, rather than having a social life, participating in organized sports, or other mainstream activities.” (shown next to a picture of Erkel)
Try again spandex fanboys!
Geeks and nerds: justify their existence (and virginity status) with lists like these.
“Geeks and nerds: justify their existence (and virginity status) with lists like these”
Spoken like a true dork.
I was always under the impression that geeks were especially technologically advanced, while nerds were more in the insanely-awesome-grades category… That, and the lack-age of lives. =P
okay for the last time…
nerds = antisocial, intellect>geeks, good math and grades
geeks = social,work ethic>nerds,smarts can vary(aesthetic,biz,etc
dorks = just wierd people, heavy gamers, lazy,
ubergeeks = geeks->IQ++
thus, nerds are smarter than geeks on paper, but never smarter than ubergeeks in anything. And no, there are no ubernerds
The way I’ve always characterised Geek vs Nerd is using an IT startup or small IT company – the people running the show are generally geeks, while the hardcore coding are generally nerds. A geek is really just a nerd with social skills.
A geek is a nerd with social skills?
As a hardcore-coder, I can tell you that the most socially inept people I’ve known were the hardcore IT *nix admins.
Nah, sorry – a nerd is someone who knows how to use the cool technology. The geeks typically know how the cool technology actually really works.
Geeks are Nerds with social skills.
They have an incredible passion for knowledge, but fit into society. Geeks are able to communicate with other geeks, also with Nerds, Regular People, and even dorks.
Nerds can communicate effectively only with other nerds & tolerant geeks.
Dorks often can’t effectively communicate.
Geek = good grades in school, popular, often athletic. Graduates & gets a good job, a hot wife (or husband if female), and raises future geeks.
A fun little chart, and the subsequent comments effectively illustrate how arbitrary these designations really are. I’ve always identified nerds as highly proficient individuals who lack social savvy…and geeks are more average joes who also happen to be intensely passionate about about a singular/unique topic. This also lends itself to the improvised verb “to geek,” and its corrollary modifer: “(insert topic) geek.” For example, I really “geek out” to marketing campaigns, which would make me a “marketing geek.” Well that’s how I see it anyway.
I always have it as geek > nerd. “Geek” is a sort of honoured title for someone who is REALLY awesome at their area of technical specialty. It’s second only to hacker. “Nerd” is either a wannabe-geek or a dork with a brain.
Language
Geek: C++
Nerd: Klingon
Dork: Human
I disagree with Steve on the computer of choice. Any truly dedicated geek would choose Linux (any flavor) over Mac.
Blogs:
Geek: Own Domain Name
Nerd: Blogger
Dork: Myspace
Major:
Geek: Hard Science
Nerd: Liberal Arts Honors Program
Dork: Sports Medicine
Interesting. And an unaboidable question then arises: wtf is a dweeb?
eddie: an uberdork is probably a dweeb
I agree with geek > nerd. The geek can do more than a nerd, such as hold a job and communicate with coworkers and understand people’s technology needs. A nerd has the smarts of a geek, without any of the support infrastructure, i.e. can do the same work as a geek, but needs to be told what to do, or just does whatever he wants.
I don’t think geeks fret about new movies too much, whereas nerds and dorks, cut out from human contact, do. I think geeks would be excited about a new movie, but may or may not build a raytracing program to render similar graphics (of course it would fail miserably – the geeks and nerds working for the movie company have millions of dollars for their special fx, whereas the average geek/nerd only has what his parents will give him).
That’s my take. If I want to insult someone smart, I’ll just call them a nerd.
Actually… I’m recalling an exchange I had with a friend of mine (who I know only through IRC) after I saw a video clip of him talking about a MP3 player he made out of a wireless router. I said “You’re such a geek” and he said “thanks, you’re not so bad yourself”. I may have said “nerd”, I dont’ recall, but they’re similar. Both our remarks were positive comments.
Wow I can ramble…
P.S. I have my own domain (well my dad got it, I have a subdomain which is firstname.lastname.net, so I guess that makes me a geek
)
lol. i guess im a combination of all three. but still, does it matter which u are? its just another nickname that your you/your friends call each other.
lol – guess I must be a geek based on job… I working across the parking lot from Sandia, and been to NASA (or had them come to my office) 4 times. Last time we got an invite to fly the shuttle simulator next time I’m in Houston….PWND!
Geek if you played with LEGO when younger
Dork if you played with LEGOS when younger
I think at times the Geek and Nerd thing can blur. Somebody used camping in-line for a sci-fi movie example. I think a Nerd would pay a Dork to stand in line for him, where a Geek like myself would have an on-line friend at the studio that would have many weeks ago already given me an un-cut director’s copy of the movie and then sent an edited version when it was complete.
A Nerd would buy all the latest software, a Geek would borrow the CDs/DVDs and hack it, the Dork would search the net looking for downloads and cracks and serials.
A Dork would buy a system off of E-Bay thinking $100.00 was a steal, but he’d get a Pentium III with 64 meg-o-ram shared by the on board video. A Nerd would buy the latest thing from Apple. A Geek would be super cooling his PC’s Multi-Core CPU and be over-clocking it as far as possible while remaining stable, have at least twin 256 Meg video cards and no less than 2 Gig of the fastest memory he could buy.
whar scares mme more? that someone actually sat down and created this table, or the fact that so many people responded to argue its validity….
hmmm i guess i am going out i have a life.
I guess I’m a comination of a geek and a nerd.
On the geek side, I still have a good social life, and I always got teh snappy shirt!! I know what klingon is, but I don’t know a word of it. I don’t even know if it’s from star wars or star trek. I got teh geek diet, as for sandwiches, never PB&J. I’d have a sandwich with meat, cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard, pretty much everything. I know some HTML, and I could lead a group of people. I would never sleep in a line for a game system, movie, or anything.
On the nerd side, I’m not mechanically or technically inclined, I’m lazy, and a procrastinator. I like my videogames and computers, but I don’t know anything about them. That’s the only reason I don’t have my own computer is because I don’t know enough about computers. I got WoW, but I can’t play it yet because I don’t have the right graphics card. I would like to play dungeons and dragons one day. I like star wars and ninjas, but would never go to a convention. I don’t really have a specific educational interest, it can very from history to math, or from mythology to literature.
The only way that I’m a dork is that i love my mom lots.
That table is one of the best illustrative guides I’ve ever seen that clearly explain the difference between all three. Even more importantly, every description is bang-on and presents it with humor. A+!
And oh yeah, I’m a geek…
Ok I think the Geek and Nerd descriptions are accurate, but not the Dork exactly. In my opinion The dork is a lazy and immature nerd who looses his temper easily in online gaming or when arguing about Star Trek ect.. Actually Dorks are just Loosers.
It’s all relative. I consider myself a tech and role play geek. To me geeks, whether tech geeks, RP geeks, or whatever are seriously into what they are into and level-headed and cool about it. Nerds are the socially-inept and fashion-awkward geek wannabes. Dorks are just idiots.
As a geek, I am unimpressed with the slagging off all things RPG and fantasy, and passing them off as nerds. Tech geeks should be proud, as are we role playing geeks.
When in doubt, roll a d20!
GT
The Nerd vs. Geek debate is VERY regional… In my area, a Geek is the one with knowledge and skills, where as a Nerd is looked at as a more of a no-talent geek wannabe. I have seen the complete reverse of this less than 50 miles away. However, dork is always negative, and geeks/nerds can be seen as not being dorky (at least in most areas I have been)
then i guess im a mix breed , i live alone , im social , but i prefer more me time to study and learn things , i like nature (summer and spring a little fall but no winter, i heart video games and manga (anime ok) im a Asian studies college student with a large techy background.
I find it interesting that everyone on the web alwasy says dork is negative. I would have to disagree in some cases atleast where females are concerned. I would say that the most attractive females are “adorable dorks” this meaning that she is very exuberant and silly about something kinda silly or dorky but whichis amazingly cute. Dork to me means a person thatis not “cool” by popculture definitions and may act silly. that silliness in a male would surely earn derision but if a girl is physically cute and has that sort of dorky innocence about her it can be very attractive.
as to the definitions as I have learned them living all over the country
Nerd: studious, book smart, focused on academic performance, disdains physical or superficial things but secretly wishes he was part of them. often closed off pursues knowledge for its own sake.
Geek: Less studious, more practical, studies what they need to use new toy, ignores superfical useless knowledge, excited by technology and innovation, gadgets, must have latest thing especially if it has and Apple logo on it.
Dork: odd and unpopular interests D&D, RPGs, SCA, Ren fest, Comics, Action figures, Star Wars, Star Trek obsession, etc, may be smart or stupid but mainly is socailly inept or unconcerned with what is conventionally cool. this can either be tragic or beautiful. tragic in the caase of the kid that owns a Star Trek uniform and spock ears and thhinks he looks cool wearing them, beautiful in the case of attractive females that get overly excited or geek out unconcerned with if people think what they are excited about is cool much like littel kids are before they stop being real. this sub class however is usually also a geek that has dorky aspects to their personality vs a pure dork that is merely socially inept and uncool without the intelectual brilliance of a nerd or the tech savy of a geek.
Geek = Making Geek/Nerd/Dork chart
Nerd = Reading Geek/Nerd/Dork chart
Dork = Commenting on Geek/Nerd/Dork chart
…D’OH!… ;-p
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