Some people really like Mayim Bialik, others can’t stand her, but the truth is that she is a talented actress and that she does have a lot of clout in life since she is a mother, does have a stellar education, and has made quite the career for herself. She’s also been a teacher, which is interesting since she’s one of the only ones on the cast of The Big Bang Theory that likely knew what the characters were talking about. What she says about geeks and nerds thought actually makes a great deal of sense. The whole term of ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’ is something that a lot of people tend to shy away from since it’s come with rather negative connotations for so long. Of course the words mean different things to different people since some folks are proud to be called nerds and don’t mind ‘geeking out’ with those that share the same common interests. Let’s break it down a little more.
According to Mayim, and I would kind of agree with this, nerds might be those that are interested in how the world works on an intellectual level and tend to observe, analyze, quantify, and so on and so forth as long as it meets a realistic view of the world they’re living in. Geeks tend to be more the type to enjoy the more fantastical, the science fiction aspects of life and take enjoyment in things that aren’t real but are still extremely entertaining. Where nerds have a limited social life geeks tend to hang out with other geeks that like the same things. It kind of works from that explanation, but when it starts breaking down and one finds out that there are other ways to describe it the truth seems to be that nerds and geeks can be words that are seen as interchangeable and therefore don’t always have the same meaning for the same people. There are those that are proud to be nerds and geeks for the things they love and enjoy talking about, and then there are those that will use such words in a very derogatory way to make people feel bad. The trick there is to not feel bad at all, but realize that being a nerd or a geek is actually quite enjoyable if you don’t bother listening to the opinions of those that are just as big of a nerd or geek but in a very different way. Laurie Vaquez of Big Think has more to say on this matter.
For instance, saying you’re a Star Wars geek or a Lord of the Rings geek is perfectly okay since it means you happen to love the science fiction and fantasy aspects of fiction and are perfectly happy with it. There’s no shame there unless you’re willing to let someone drag you down since they don’t like or understand the whole premise of the story, or why it’s so much fun for so many people to be into it. Dungeons & Dragons is another popular part of fantasy culture that a lot of people like and that has been heavily maligned throughout the years. It’s true, the game is very technical, requires a lot of reading and a lot of imagination, and yet so many people have so much fun with it that listening to the naysayers is more or less a choice and not necessary at all. The joy of being a geek or a nerd is that you get to decide what you’re going to enjoy and how much of your life it’s going to take up since it’s YOUR decision, not that of anyone else’s. At one point in history being a geek or a nerd was considered to be anathema to having a social life. Even in the last several decades nerds have still been ostracized at times, as the movie Revenge of the Nerds has shown. But much like that movie, a lot of nerds have come to take pride in what they like, as have a lot of geeks. The two words are no longer considered and insult to many people since they’re being owned on a level that is kind of inspiring as well as positive since the people doing the owning are proud of the things they like and aren’t willing to compromise.
One thing cool about being a nerd or a geek is that in a way you belong to an exclusive club of people, even if you don’t hang out or talk all the time, that can speak your language and will understand just what you’re referring to when you do talk on social media or in any other medium. Geeks and nerds get each other a lot of the time since they enjoy the same things, they know how to really get into what they care about, and they don’t waste time worrying about the haters that don’t understand them.
Follow Us
