Lets End this: Difference between Geek, Nerd, and Dork

I play video games, collect action figures, read comic books, watch Star Wars, code websites, and more so I have been called just about every name in the book that means “different.” The problem is as a guy who has a deep love and respect for the English language I can’t stand it when people use terms improperly. Its basically like if someone tells you to stop playing the Nintendo when you haven’t owned a Nintendo product since the N64 or a friend asks when “Little Big World” is coming out. The problem I worry about the most is the confusion between the terms Geek, Nerd, and Dork as they get misused not only by outsiders but also by our own so its time for me to clarify this once and for all.

Definitions pulled from Wikipedia
Geek: “a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, gaming, etc.” In other words, they are someone who has a large amount of “useless” knowledge. A geek would be able to explain the difference between a jedi and a sith, how Doctor Who’s time travel works, or what the prime directive is and why it is important to observe it. An example of a geek would be: A gamer, a star trek fan, or someone with a large comic book collection.

Nerd: “a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests that are age inappropriate rather than engaging in more social or popular activities.” A Nerd is an “intellectual” who devotes large amounts of time to studying thinks that you would likely see on a test or may look good on a resume. These includes subjects like math, science, biology, history. An example of a nerd would be: a professor of history or rocket scientist.

Dork: “A quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Often confused with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same intelligence level.” This is someone who lacks friends and social skills to properly communicate with others. This person’s interests have no effect on their definition as a dork as a lack of social skills is the requirement to be considered a dork. An example of a dork would be: that kid who sits alone at lunch that no one talks to.

Once being called a geek or a nerd would be considered an insult but with things like video games and comic books reaching mainstream entertainment and intelligence being valued over strength, I proudly declare I am a geek to all who listen, knowing that also labels me as a lover of art, master of technology, and guru of all things awesome. Don’t call me a dork because I play video game, I’ve gotten more friends and money from video games then I have from anything else I’ve done. If you call me a nerd make sure its because I did something requiring intelligence, not because I have Star Trek cards and a Yoda bobble head sitting in my living room.

The question is, does computer knowledge make you a nerd of a geek?

Tags: Annoyance, Comic Books, Difference between Geek and Nerd, Dork, Gamers, Geek, Nerd, Terms