Clar.me

What is a “nerd”?

If you would put me under a stereotype, I would be one of those shy, awkward Asian nerds (which, over here, would just be a normal nerd). I have nerd friends (though they are awesome) I dream of making a career out of just sitting in front of the computer and typing away all day. I’m probably as active as a sloth, and I’m not into playing or even watching sports. I still have all my Pokemon TCG cards and still know how to play it. I actually like math. I’m a nerd.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. While I used to be offended whenever someone called me a “nerd”, now, I actually think of it as a compliment. It just means I’m smart, and there’s nothing wrong with being smart.

To make things clear, this isn’t a rant. I don’t remember a single time in my life when I’ve been called a nerd as an insult. In my circle of friends, we call each other nerds all the time.

I just don’t see why, on television, the nerds are always represented as these badly proportioned, pimply kids with glasses, usually accompanied by big ears and/or terrible teeth – as if intelligence has to come with ugliness, or beauty with stupidity.

It’s funny when you watch it, but it’s too bad that the media has given such a negative connotation to nerdiness. Being called a nerd shouldn’t be treated as an insult.

I’m a nerd, and I don’t care that the media thinks that I should have pimples or terrible vision because I don’t. I’m proud to be a nerd. I honestly, honestly am.

What’s a nerd for you? Do you consider yourself to be a nerd? Feel free to comment about it below!

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I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a nerd! I actually am really attracted to nerdy guys. The guy I’m dating right now is a music nerd. I’ve always admired the stereotype because I felt that those apart of it typically are intelligent and have a passion for a certain area. In your case you’re passionate about blogging, in my boyfriend’s case, he’s passionate about music and his instrument and I admire that and his dedication. I think the stereotype is annoying when it starts grouping people like this as unattractive. I’m sure there are unattractive nerds out there, but there are a lot of unattractive people out there that aren’t nerds. It’s irritating when it’s given a negative connotation. Nerds are awesome!

Comment by Lynn • July 29, 2011 • 12:21 pm

I’m going to have to disagree with you here. I believe the term “nerd” has made such a turnaround in the past few years. Perhaps it’s different in the Philippines, but here in America, it’s become cool to be a nerd. Superhero movies are usually the blockbusters ever summer, Comic Con has become a newsworthy event, and with technology being so advanced, it’s kind of lame NOT to be super knowledgeable with computers and other gadgets. Plus, on a lot of TV shows, the “nerd” in the show is often some hot guy they threw a plaid shirt and thick glasses on. A few shows still make nerds ugly and creepy, but not many of the ones I watch.

Clarisse

I don’t personally know anyone around here that thinks of nerds as losers. :) I think there’s been a universal shift in the way people think of nerds too, actually.

Comment by Gabi • July 29, 2011 • 1:31 pm

I am also a nerd, and I love it … I used to get called a sexy nerd, although those two words don’t really gel together I don’t think …

Comment by Ms H • July 30, 2011 • 6:37 pm

:O! Stereotypes are awful :(! I don’t classify you as a nerd- unless you want to be known as a nerd XD! Races doesn’t matter. I have a 21 year old hispanic friend who still has his pokemon collection TCG from when he was like 5 or something. And his collection.. He has over 1000 pokemon cards (some dupilcates like.. 6 moltres :O)!! D:! Except it’s all from the original series :O!

But heck, you know what you want to do with your life. Being smart means you’re intellectual.

Being a nerd.. I just think being a nerd is being overly intellectual. Beauty and appearances does not really classify much in this word. Neither does race. Though.. I’m not much of a nerd- I’m not that smart anyways -__-!

Take care (:!

Comment by Nancy • July 31, 2011 • 4:42 am

I actually talked about this with a (new) friend. I kind of made a comment like “heyy, I think there’s a little bit of nerd in you!” and he said “little bit? I’ve been a nerd all my life!”. Then we had a whole conversation about..well.. to me he didn’t look like a nerd. But what do nerds look like. And what do nerds do? Play computer games? Listen to certain type of music? I feel like nowadays..nerds..are no more. I mean, “cool kids” do the same things are nerds do. Nerds are not always socially akwrard or anything like that. Not nowadays.

Comment by Shiri • July 31, 2011 • 9:30 pm

Stereotypes are horrible, I hate them but I guess we can’t escape the fact we’re always going to be labelled as something. There’s definitely nothing wrong with being a nerd, but over here, there is. People would constantly humiliate and insult people who were smart (aka nerds) and it was awful. I didn’t see anything wrong with it tbh, they were smart people yet they were constantly looked as “boring, easy to pick on people” just because they were smart.

I hate how “nerds” are made out to be like the way you described either. Being smart doesn’t mean you’re ugly.

I wouldn’t say I’m smart, but I definitely wouldn’t take it as an insult if someone did call me a nerd. :B

Comment by Vicky • August 1, 2011 • 12:59 am

I suppose I’m a nerd because I’m in several advanced classes and I get all A’s. I definitely don’t look like a stereotypical nerd. A person who has bad acne and wears thick glasses and pants that go above the waist…No one I know or have seen dresses like than anymore, unless it’s Nerd Day. If you’re smart, you’re a nerd. That’s what people around me typically say.

Comment by Nugget • August 1, 2011 • 5:01 am

Haha, I’d love to have a career of just sitting around all day! :P I’d also love to go into webdesign… That’s sort of the point, you know. …Not having to go into an office… That sort of thing. ;)

Yes, the TV stereotypes are completely ridiculous. :( Ugh. It’s even worse when they display nerds as overweight and such, too, or even unable to get a date. Not all nerds are unable to get dates.

To me, everyone is a nerd. I don’t identify someone a nerd based on what their hobby is – I identify everyone as a nerd, because everyone has a hobby/something they love doing a lot. :)

Comment by Liz • August 1, 2011 • 11:30 am

“I’m probably as active as a sloth, and I’m not into playing or even watching sports.” – could there be a truer statement about myself anywhere? Unfortunately, I am not big on maths. I never had Pokemon cards but I collected loads of Doctor Who ones and still have them. :x

I think I can be nerdy but for the most part, I’m kind of bodering on nerdness (?). When people say I’m weird or a geek or whatever I just take it in my stride as well – better than being normal, eh, and code is amazing so~
I think a nerd is just someone… well it’s hard to describe, isn’t it? To be honest, I don’t know how to define it. I guess we define each other as nerds.

Intelligence definitely doesn’t come with ugliness – this girl in my year is one of those people who appears to have everything: she’s smart, gorgeous, drowning in friends – you get the gist.

Stereotypes are lame overall. The TV image of nerds, though, is kind of harsh.

I have a few zits and terrible vision (stigmitism… oh boy). I guess the media would like me, haha, though as I said I’m not a nerd 100%.

Great blog, you write so well, dude.
-

Thank you!

Most the time I don’t know what to blog about and then I just write random shit and hope that it ends up being readable, so I can’t really sympathise on the struggling-with-blog-ideas front, but if it’s anything like my writer’s block for my stories, I can show you nothing but empathy.

Okay, that made no sense… ha.

That does sound pretty funny – and then just bringing them back to life again, ha. That’s epic. I don’t think I’ve been on a PlayStation in ages…

Take care! xx

Comment by Georgia Kate • August 1, 2011 • 6:19 pm

I am also a nerd, but like you, I’m proud of it! It’s really hard to define a nerd, in my opinion. I, myself am a high achiever at school. I take all honors classes so I’m basically surrounded by nerds all day. xD That’s a good thing, though, because we can actually *learn* something instead of being with the students that could care less about getting a good education.

I think being called nerd these days is a compliment. I don’t associate intelligence with ugliness or stupidity with beauty. I feel that they are completely unrelated. :P

Have a nice day! :)

Comment by Paige • August 2, 2011 • 8:44 am

I read an piece on Slashdot that said that the definition of a “nerd” and a “geek” had been almost redefined by popular culture and by people who didn’t fit into the definition of a nerd. There are people calling themselves anime-nerds and people calling themselves photograph-nerds, etc. And I have to agree with that article quite a bit.

To me, you don’t have to be smart, or even good with computers, to be a nerd. Being a nerd is about valuing knowledge and education. It’s about pursuing knowledge, using it well, and appreciating the knowledge that others have to help make the world more aware and less ignorant, and to create something that’s genuinely awesome with your knowledge. It’s about knowing that knowledge is power, and enjoying the power and the knowledge itself. There are many smart people who do well in school that are not nerds, and there are people that aren’t as smart that I’d consider nerds. There are nerds who are also into fashion and beauty, and there are nerds that are into sports and athletics. There are certainly non-nerds that are very very ugly.

It’s a shame that most people who value knowledge have a naturally high IQ. It shouldn’t be that way at all.

Comment by Stephanie • August 3, 2011 • 3:55 am

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