I’ve been reading and digging (as in enjoying, not the web-verb) Jonathan Degann’s Journal of Boardgame Design. It’s a while between articles, but I find them consistently thorough and enjoyable. For someone else looking at boardgames from an academic stance, it’s a place to go.
This week, though, as a break from the design stuff that I’ve been so immersed in, I thought I’d tell you about how I use some other terms. I have had many, many arguments about this classification system. So I attempt to settle it once and for all: are you a nerd, geek, dork, or other?
Nerd: A nerd is someone who enjoys certain categories within pop culture. Nerdy areas include: gaming, science fiction, fantasy, anime, comics, and certain kinds of music. You can be a casual nerd in these areas, and avoid being a nerd. IMPORTANT NOTE: Reading does not make you a nerd. So the next time an attractive girl says she’s a nerd because she reads often, be sure to correct her and then adjust your glasses.
Geek: A geek is someone with extensive knowledge in a certain area, to the extent that it is difficult for them to talk about that field to non-geeks. This term primarily covers computer fields- a “standard geek” is, say, someone who knows the ins and outs of programming and linux. However, other geeks exist as well, but have to be qualified. An RPG Geek is the guy everyone turns to for rules questions in D&D, but himself prefers far more obscure RPGs. Movie Geeks often can get to Kevin Bacon in 4 degrees or less. IMPORTANT NOTE: Someone who is good at computer programming but is in it for the money is not a Geek. A Geek has accomplished something major but useless, like getting an Xbox to run SETI@Home.
Dork: This is someone who looks like a Nerd or a Geek, but isn’t really. They often are overweight, have strange facial hair, and wear glasses. However, you attempt to talk to them about anything Nerdy, they will not understand! They may play videogames, but they’re not into it the same way a Nerd or Videogame Geek would be. For example, you usually won’t see a dork at a LAN party. IMPORTANT NOTE: Having a high social standing can eliminate most of the other terms on this list. However, being a dork by definition can only be eliminated by plastic surgery and/or money.
Gamer: Unfortunately, we have yet to come to any kind of consensus on what this means, beyond “somebody who plays games.” It can come to mean any of the following:
-Somebody who plays a lot of videogames, and tends to play mostly FPS and RTS.
-Somebody who plays a lot of RPGs, but also ventures into boardgames, and thus enjoys stuff like Munchkin.
-Somebody who plays a lot of boardgames (especially Eurogames) and enjoys heavy strategy, and hates games like Munchkin.
Omnigamer: Someone who plays RPGs, miniatures games, CCGs, and boardgames. See also: pauper.
Dweeb: This archaic use is not used anymore. As near as I can tell, it means somebody bad at sports.
Tool: Somebody who has clearly “sold out” to “the man.” Tools who are any of the above categories are very rare: they usually work for Hasbro or EA.
Game Designer: Somebody who gets asked “Oh, you mean like Madden?” a lot.
Six Degrees: Kevin Bacon – Pierce Brosnan
GO!
Just for the record, no matter your Geekdom of movies, it’s really hard to get Kevin Bacon in 4 degrees unless you get lucky with the people picked.
anything is possible when you offer college credit to people for literally anything these days.
from the oracle of bacon, a UVA student project:
pierce brosnan has a Bacon number of 2.
Pierce Brosnan was in Tailor of Panama, The (2001) with David Hayman (I)
David Hayman (I) was in Where the Truth Lies (2005) with Kevin Bacon
…That’s not cheating, that’s progress…
I disagree with your definitions of nerd vs. geek.
I would classify a Nerd as a “Dork-lite”; they tend to fit the same criteria as a dork, but have better social skills.
I wouldn’t consider myself to have extensive knowledge in any particular area, but I am clearly (and proudly!) a geek.
I would also argue that Nerds tend to be more bookwormish than Geeks, although Geeks do tend to read quite a bit.
Tami: What is it that makes you call yourself “clearly” a proud geek? Just curious and wondering how others classify these things!
I play lots of board games, I read lots of books, I have a better-than-average knowledge of computers when looking at people who use computers daily but don’t program; I can do most math in my head, and actually enjoy calculus and such. I enjoy comic books and movies.
And the “clearly” was from when I met The Game- most people who get to know me better than on a cursory basis know I’m a geek.
I thought I was a geek, but looking at this, I’m really more of a nerd, maybe even a dork.
Tami,
I’m pretty sure that we’re both boardgame geeks. If only there was a website for such people, eh? 🙂
In my definitions, I didn’t mean there to be any exclusivity. You can be a nerd and a boardgame geek, or a nerd and an omnigamer. The jury is still out on dork, I think.
Oh yes, you’re definitely a geek, too. Thanks for backing up my “geeknitude”.
I just don’t consider myself to have an extensive knowledge of any one particular area.
And I REALLY hate being called a nerd. I’m neither a piece of candy nor a breakfast food.
I think dorks are just dorks. And dweebs are just dorks with even worse social skills.
There’s a breakfast food called nerds?
Nerds cereal. It came with two inner plastic bags, similar to the candy. It used to turn the milk colors, and I think maybe flavored it. Of course, it mostly made it taste like sugary milk.
I don’t know if they still make it… probably not.
It was pretty gross, but my little sister LOVED it.
Geeks have social skills and intelligence.
Nerds have intelligence but lack social skills.
Normal people have social skills and lack intelligence.
Dorks lack social skills and intelligence.
Asmor! thank you… I think you hit the nail on the head, I still wasn’t quite sure where I fit in. I’m pretty sure I am a geek. I sort of have intelligence, I guess… I’ve had math up thru calc 3 and diff eq and I’m a couple semesters away from my bachelor’s in Computer Engineering. I play bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, banjo, etc (lol). I have tons of friends, and I’m doing something social almost every night. None of my friends are really tech-savvy, or have much knowledge in the way of science/math/etc. I don’t wear glasses, and I dress more like an indie-punk-skater-slacker than anything. I’m also hooked on RPGs (the kind with graphics, not dice), especially of the MMO variety. uhh sry bout all that