Nerds

Originally posted by flyingzone I have a different take on that matter. Yes, most nerds may be smart, but so many of them lack interpersonal skills which are no less important in contributing to success than, say knowledge in world history or good math skills. Yes, we do see many cases of nerds "making it" in the world (e.g. that "microsoft" guy, that "eBay" guy, etc.). But those are the ones we actually see. There are many - "unevolved nerds" (using Augusta's terminology) - who immerse themselves in a world of "trivial pursuit" kind of knowledge but are living miserable lives and still suffering in quiet humiliation, partially due to ostracization by the populace but also partially due to their woeful lack of proper social skills. Thank goodness, I have "evolved" - but only to a certain extent. I play sports. I have a "social" job. I go clubbing. I even use "products" for my hair for crying out loud. Yet once a nerd you are always a nerd. Deep inside me, still nothing can turn me on more than an exciting game of "Risk" or watching a historical documentary on TV or things like accidentally bumping into a site like AE or coming across a book entitled "The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia" (by the way, that's a real book that I own ...) in a bookstore ...  Things like that are more cool than any of the other "cool" things I do. But of course I will never admit that to my "non-nerd" friends. I think I am a closeted nerd.

Whoa man! I gotta meet you! Just like you, I used to know all the capitals of the world by the time I was 8 or 9, and I could draw the world map by heart... Historical documentaries; one of few things I watch on TV. "The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia": sounds awesome; who wrote it?

I understand what you mean about the nerdiness. I actually suffered quite a bit from being stereotyped as a nerd, especially in high school. I didn't really lack personal skills though, as evidenced by my transformation into a social butterfly in my university days. But now, after graduating and working and getting engaged, I'm turning back to my nerdy ways. Once a nerd, always a nerd!

Anyway, just a general comment: in North America, as opposed to Europe (where I lived till I was 14), there is an actual stigma on being knowledgeable and studious, at least until the end of high school. Afterwards, the priorities change, and all of a sudden "nerds" are very valued, since they have the skills to make money and because this a society that prizes money above all else. The fact remains though that through one's childhood and adoloscence, in North America, one's intelligence and studious ways are often considered an impediment when attempting to advance on the social ladder. I certainly notice the lack of that class that Maju referred to as an empollon. A student who likes to study hard, is ambitious, but that doesn't restrict him from having friends as well. In my childhood and early teen years spent in Romania, I fell into that category. Only to come to a rude shock after moving to Canada and finding myself an object of scorn for my knowledge and interests.

This is a problem that I attribute partly to the pre-universitary school system, which is rather poor compared to most countries in Europe and Asia. The system is oriented towards the mediocre rather than the top student. In school, intelligence and aptitude for study are not therefore prized as the scarce skill they are, and children turn towards other skills such as athletic ability to play a role in the determination of the pecking order. In university and beyond, the system is much more competitive, and so the "nerd's" natural abilities become much more valuable, which plays a role in how others see him/her.

In answer to your last question, flyingzone, there are few female nerds because in general young girls tend to place less emphasis on athletic abilities and other such factors when determining the social order. Thus, the potential female "nerd" is capable of making friends easier and gets to develop her social skills. This makes her much less conspicuous as a "nerd", though she may enjoy studying. Another factor is that women tend to be in general less interested in some of the subjects that nerds are interested in. Male nerds are often interested in subjects related to war and the military (including science fiction, history), have a natural fascination with nature (hence bug collecting, etc.), as well as abstract reasoning (math, chess, physics, etc.). These are subjects which are not vey well suited to women, often for biological reasons: they tend to be less interested in war, being more passive; they often are stronger in intuitive reasoning and artistic skills, as opposed to men's natural abilities in abstract reasoning. Finally, they are often squeamish when it comes to animals, especially invertebrates. Keep in mind that these are generalizations, and I don't want anyone to get offended. Just because women in general tend to be better at intuitive rather than abstract reasoning, that doesn't mean that all women are like that. In this situation, it's good to apply the 80/20 rule, where these statements apply to 80% of the population, but not to the remaining 20%. 

Edited by Decebal

Decebel, I told you, I always know we're not alone. I am sure there are quite a few who are like us out there. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure there are some AE forumers who did what we did.

So what's the capital city of Laos (without looking at any map)?

As I mentioned in my initial post, I actually met a guy (definitely much more nerdy than me) who knew all the capital cities and drew the world map by heart by 8 or 9. He, like me (and most probably you too), loves looking at maps. In fact I think he even collects rare maps. VERY nerdy ...

"The Tibetan Empire iin Central Asia" is written by a dude called Christopher I. Beckwith. Bought it at "Chapters" a few years ago. Fascinating stuff (to me at least). And I am not even a historian.

Where are you, Decebel? 

Decebal,

You're saying that nerdiness and intelligence/aptitude are very closely related. In practice, they may be true, but to my experience, I don't think the correlation is as severe as you put it. I knew many people in HS that were very intelligent, but were not at all "nerdy," if nerdy is defined as an attitude. On the contrary, there were people who were nerdy, but did not particular care about excelling in education.

I'd say in school I was known for being smart in english and social studies/history/civics. But I had the attitude of I don't give a f*ck. I would yell at a teacher and argue with them if I felt I was right. I held that attitude through the four years, but my maturity got better, every year I got fewer detentions. Think I only had one or two in my senior year. But I also would particpate in school whenever I knew the answer.

I wouldn't say I am much of a fighter, I tried having as much friends as I could, and never had a enemy in high school. In 8th grade was my last real fight where a kid through a snow ball at me, I don't think it even hit me, but I just got pissed and chased him down he fell and I jumped on top of him and started punching him in the head, I guess I have a anger problem... I barely remember that day though.

In school there were a group of nerds though. I guess you could say they didn't wear the popular styles, but I always had my own style and hung out with multiple people and groups. I think you just have to have the right attitude and if you allow yourself to be picked on then you allow yourself to join the misfits. I really don't know, my schools was alittle weird with all the groups.

I think we've found the king of nerds here

Decebel: I agree with you that there's a lot of "anti-intellectualism" going on in North American schools (which seems to have a disproportionate impact on boys especially). However, I still don't think it's just a North American phenomenon. While in your (Romanian) case, you did not face too much harassment as a result of your nerdiness, at least in the United Kingdom (where I went to high school), nerds (like me) are taunted mercilessly too. Maybe it's an Anglo-American thing????? 

If "nerdiness" were still a stigma at the university level, it would signify the end of human civilization ... But I know in some American colleges and universities, being a nerd is still not a "cool" thing. People tend to worship jocks and frat boys but keep a distance from nerds.

Oh boy, I don't have a clue what the capital city of Kiribati is ... I don't even know where Kiribati is even though I KNOW it is a Pacific island nation. So I guess I am indeed an imposter

 

 

When i try to think of a nerd, I usually think of a person starting with knowing a couple programming languages, most of the times he is extremely skilful at hacking computers and continuing on with being former world champion of at least one or more computer games. I can continue by mentioning the fact that most of them are top in maths at their schooldays and have a unique hobby in real life, sth like chess, where they played with tens of people chess in real life, and have never lost to any one of them. They have a unigue way of nerdish laugh and also have a unique sense of incredibly bad humor that usually only another nerd can understand.

I don't believe in the term "Nerd".I just think they are intelligient,and some lack social and personal skills,but that is as bit as stereotyping as if you say a Football Player is a dumb***.I think it was a term to insult the intelligient ones,some were school-friendly and others hated school.Most people know what they're saying,they just don't understand it.Thats the term of this "nerd".