I agree, though perhaps this is true only amongst geeks. I recently saw a little girl who lives up the street taunting her older brother and calling him a geek. I told this little girl, who sometimes plays with my daughter, that at my house "geek" is a compliment. But what does it mean then, she asked, confused.
My answer: you can do math and the people talking to you can't. There are probably better answers... Dana On 7/15/05, Jim Campbell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I don't think "geek" has quite the negative connotation you say it does > anymore. I refer to myself as a geek from time to time, and even if I > am a professional programmer, I do completely normal things like wear a > Klingon costume to the grocery store, speak fluent Wookiee, make PDP-11 > and quantum physics jokes in public, go to SCA outings, LARP, and > dismissively compare people to Dr. Who characters and snort derisively > when they don't get it. > > - Jim > > Cameron Johnson wrote: > > >Here's a question that a friend of mine asked me, and I thought the CF folks > >could throw in on this. > > > >Intellectual achievement is something that we, as a society, should want to > >encourage. Sadly, the term "nerd" or "geek" has negative connotations, > >largely focused around social dysfunction: > > > >- "Our IT guy? He's a real computer geek." > >- "All she does is study. She's such a nerd." > > > >I am looking for a word or label that can be used to describe individuals > >who seek to expand their mind and explore the world. "Renaissance Man" is a > >bit outdated and also somewhat gender specific. "Scholar" tends to focus on > >scholastic achievment. > > > >The term should have positive connotations that can be used in sentences > >like: > > > >- "He's a ranked boxer and also a X." > > > >- "When she isn't out snowboarding, she's programming web pages. Clearly, > >she's an athlete and a X". > > > >- "I am a X." > > > >Thoughts, people? > > > >Cameron > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:164993 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
