Am I a Geek?

[Xerin]

The term "geek" bugs me. When I hear it I think of greasy-haired, pimply recluses whose best friend is their pocket protector. But I have to wonder?

Since my Commodore 64 days I've loved computers?
I spend more time (and money!) on my pc than on any other hobby?
My wife says she always thought she would marry a geek...
It's getting worse?I'm building my first pc and am going to see how far I can overclock it?

According to dictionary.com, a geek is:

1. 1. One who eats (computer) bugs for a living. One who fulfills all the dreariest negative stereotypes about hackers: an asocial, malodorous, pasty-faced monomaniac with all the personality of a cheese grater. Cannot be used by outsiders without implied insult to all hackers; compare black-on-black vs. white-on-black usage of `great person'. A computer geek may be either a fundamentally clueless individual or a proto-hacker in larval stage. Also called `turbo nerd', `turbo geek'. See also propeller head, clustergeeking, geek out, wannabee, terminal junkie, spod, weenie.

1. 2. Some self-described computer geeks use this term in a positive sense and protest sense 1 (this seems to have been a post-1990 development).

I guess my perception of geekdom is more in line with definition #1. But given definition #2, has it become cool to be a geek? Do you consider yourself a geek and are you proud of it?

I thought I had my answer when I started reading this article about geeks but now I'm even more confused. Yes to all of the following:

• A geek is someone who spends time being "social" on a computer. This could mean chatting on irc or icb, playing multi-user games...

• Most geeks are technically adept and have a great love of computers...

• Geeks are generally social outcasts from mainstream america (sort of, I prefer playing games to parties)...

• The ranks of geekdom are swelled with gamers...science fictions fans...trekkies...

• Geeks are their own society: a literate, hyperinformed underground...

• The unwritten geek credo states that originality and strangeness are good, and that blind conformity and stupidity are unforgivable...

But No to the following:

• These are people who did not go to their high school proms...

• Geeks are rather openminded with regards to nonstandard lifestyles. Many geeks are queer, more practice non-monogamy, and the most common religion is neo-paganism...

So...am I a Geek or not? To truly be a Geek do you have to consider yourself one? What is the sound of one hand clapping? If a tree falls in the forest....Ahhhh!

 

[MGMorden]

I think this whole geek being cool thing started w/ "The Screen Savers" on ZDTV (or TechTV now. been so long since I've watched it . . .). Nobody used geek in a positive manner until they took it upon themselves to do so and now it's become cool . . .

 

[bacillus]

hehe, do you go out dressed in an anorak as well?

 

[Sir Fredrick]

I'm a geek and proud of it, have been for over 7 years.

Not to be egotistical, but I excel at just about anything involving computers. I have built a bunch of systems, I'm a lab assistant and a teaching assistant (for Intro to computer science), I designed, built and implemented a professional level network for a small business.

I don't like most authority figures.

I'm not very social, I have good friends but not many. I prefer quality over quantity.

As you can see from the pic in my sig, I am not a scrawny pasty faced kid with pimples everywhere, but I do strive to be weird, and I consider individuality to be a most desireable trait.

My computer is tweaked out and maxed out. I upgrade it or play around with it so much that the case is always off.

Embrace your geekdom. It doesn't hurt, really.

 

[Xerin]

lol, here in Dallas no one knows what "anorak" means...gotta love the 70 degree temp today

 

[Xerin]

Thanks for the link to the "Am I a Geek" site...hilarious and reassuring that I'm not the only person asking this eternal question

 

[Radboy]

I read this book a few months ago. Surprisingly well written & insightful. A geek used to be derogatory. Now it refers to someone who's sought after .. cuz they have info & skills that people want/need.

 

[cocokrisp]

Geeks are good. Most people nowadays are nice to geeks because sometime they may need their help with something computer related.

 

[DARRIN]

We are not just geeks. We are highly evolved geeks!

 

[fitzhue]

I don't consider myself a "geek" per se.
I am in high school, but i'm not the person that talks about computers all the time, has a pasty face, and not athletic. I do consider myself technically adept. I am just good at figuring things out, especially with computers. I admit I do spend a lot of time on the computer. Sure I like computer games. I do go out with my friends a lot though. I have a good amount of friends, and a couple that are really good friends. I play sports too, basketball in particular. I'm not afraid to admit that I use computers a lot though, as i am a very open minded person and rarely care what people think of me. I do think a lot of people have respect for me though. They are always inquiring about things I know. I don't think there's anything wrong with being a geek, to a certain extent.

 

[Sir Fredrick]

Radboy, believe it or not I'm reading that book now! My gf's mom gave it to me for my birthday.

 

[Tsaico]

If you arelooking through the dictionary for the meaning of the word geek, then yes.... But I am one too... So at least you arent alone...

 

[Rand]

I consider myself a "Geek" and I'm prud of it. And judging by what you said of yourself you ound like your "geek" too, though not as heavily as many that might visit the Anandtech forums. BTW, be proud of being a geek, it's a GOOD thing!

 

[nirgis]

if you're a geek and you know it clap your hands... <clap, clap>

 

[fishingeek]

I think my tag says it all.

 

[virusag13]

I am a geek and proud of it.

I think the idea of a geek has changed in the past 5-6 years. I think the geek definition should have something about D&amp;D in it.

 

[crazychicken]

the way i see it, if you posted that question to anandtech, the answer is 'yes'
hahahah
gota love it though

later
david

 

[Xerin]

Well if D&amp;D is part of geekhood, I guess that seals it for me. After all, Xerin is the name I gave my first D&amp;D character 22 years ago

I'm a geek!

(see, that wasn't so bad)

 

[TheVrolok]

<--- Geek.

 

[hans007]

i am a geek. i dont like being called a nerd. it implies, doing something repetitive like studying for fun. geeks just do something that no one thinks is cool because they think its cool. thus you can be a band geek. being a nerd is more like someone who loves doing homework.

 

[BaDNaN0TH0N]

i dont think my self to be a geek, just a guy who likes to build or make stuff and see it work, most guys are like that. you get pride out of your creation and want it to be better than other peoples stuff. if i had enough money, id be messing around with my car, but i dont have enough cash so i mess around with the computer, and i dont think theres anything wrong with that.

 

[Pupp]

Well, if I'm a Geek, at least I'm not dumb.
Please no comment's on that.

 

[EmperorNero]

<-- another geek.

in my health class, we had to describe and introduce ourselves. I'm proud of being a comp geek so I said I am one..then I heard sympathizing &quot;awww...&quot; *sigh* ppl still think being a geek is a bad thing (in some way it is I guess...but I think being smart is better than being an airhead with lots of superficial friends). but oh well, I didn't care what they thought and I also said I was a comp geek in my speech class when my speec topic was computers. I heard a few chuckles this time instead of &quot;aww&quot;

 

[PCResources]

I am not a geek, I am not a nerd...

I am a hardcore hacker/cracker/phreaker, always have been always will be...

I should be out of the cracker/phreaker business by now simply because i make enough mone to pay for any services, but i am feeling joy everytime i crack or phreak something new...

Patrick Palm

PC Resources

 

[RGN]

if(RGN==geek)
{
answer=yes;
}
else
{
answer=no;
}

cout << &quot;Ryan is a &quot; << answer << &quot;!&quot;<< endl;


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan is a geek

c:\_