What is with the Self Deprecation on AT?? I doubt most ATers are geeks anymore.

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
the definition of GEEK itself has changed since the mid '80's. just the fact that ATers are participating on an online forum is no longer a guarantee or even a strong indication that they are a computer "geek".

why do some ATers want to perpetuate this myth?? particularly in YAGT's.

i don't get it.

is it just a bunch of the older ATer's that just haven't gotten over their own geekiness during the 80's taking it out on the younger ATer's?

edited for clarification


i guess i didn't make myself clear in my OP.

my problem is with the assumption that these so called "geeks" will be socially inept.

i don't think that generalization is anywhere near true anymore.

you HAVE to be a "geek" (have a certain amount of knowledge of computers) to survive in today's world. someone that would pass for a geek 20 yrs ago, now is just barely above average in his knowledge of computers etc.

but really my question is regarding the assumption that all "geeks" are socially inept.

Having a certain amount of technical knowledge does not make you a geek.

Used to be if you were a geek you got shoved into lockers, never had a shot in hell of getting a hot date, etc. Now, in the age of the internet, its no longer a bad thing to be a geek. Everyone who didn't take their licks and knows a little bit about running a windows box and has gorwn up with the luxury of '..... for dummies' and easy user interfaces and everything you want to know just a mouse click away thinks they're a geek.

There was a time when we actually had to learn things through trial and error. We spent hours pouring over hastily-typed-at-3am text files on 40 column displays to learn how to do tasks that you can now do by pointing and clicking. When we wanted to set up a site to offer our favorite things to the world, we didn't fire up frontpage and use a point and click interface to make pretty menus, we fired up Thedraw and did it ourselves IN ANSI.

For these reasons, I wear the geek label with pride.

You're not a geek unless you took your licks for it. You're not a geek unless you were proficient with computers BEFORE the internet came around, before it was socially acceptable to use a computer recreationally. I don't think anyone under the age of ~20 has earned the right to be considered a 'computer geek'.

Ok, that was a rant. I'll get to the point.

As for your question, I think most ATOTers call you guys geeks because they're not really geeks and think that anyone who is having girl problems must be one. That's perpetuating a myth. These are usually the same people who think they're 31337 because they just set up Gentoo linux with a print-out of the well versed step by step instructions right next to a Linux for dummies book on their desk. They're confused about their own identity because they recognize that they're not really geeks, even though deep down inside they aspire to be one. They are self-hating, and take it out on others.

The rest of us 'perpetuate this myth' because its a way of recognizing our heritage. We know you're not a geek. You'll never know what its like to really be one. You new jacks coming to US with girl problems is like someone going to the amish complaining that their car isn't running, and we use the opportunities you all present to us to remind you in a subtle way of that fact. We say it affectionately. We're prodding you guys who are whining about not having girls to stop being so damn self-defeating, because you guys have it so much easier.

Then again, I could be wrong. I'm socially inept, so I don't understand people too well

as i got my first computer at 16 in 1981, not sure whether i would be considered a geek or not.

i do know that it was an 8086 processor (not 8088 but 8086, an MS DOS compatible) not compatible with IBM Dos btw, only run on MS Dos.

so, i go back quite a ways.