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Computer geek vs. Computer nerd

Floppies_only

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Feb 15, 2008
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Washington, United States of America
wait a minute... something doesn't add up here. you can't be a computer nerd and have conquests of women at the same time. especially a vintage computer nerd. computer nerds can definitely be into women, but they're too big of losers to actually have conquests.







aw.... no fun

We don't have to be computer nerds anymore. You see, back in the 1970's when you could make a decent living as a laborer, women were often attracted to buff construction workers. Their strength was a sign of vitality and thus attractive to lots of women. The out group was computer nerds: ninty-eight pound weaklings who spent so much time mastering technology that their social skills were neglected and undeveloped. They weren't attractive. I took a ton of shit in high school because people thought that I was very intelligent. But at least they didn't call me a nerd. As I remember, I was an honorary member of "the asian perseussion" - a group of intellectuals who were going places (my high school had a large asian-american population and damn were they smart). I was chief engineer of my high school's radio station, but I also d.j.ed and could tell which songs in our library sounded good.

But then the technology revolution came along and eventually, the signs of success included being tech-savvey. So, I think, without anybody really thinking about it, technical ability became sexy. The term "nerd" was replaced with "geek", meaning a person who knows a lot about something, named along with the word: computer geek, python (language) geek, biology geek, litigation geek.

In today's economy, women, who are programmed by evolution to select successful individuals, embraced technical ability as being sexy. When was the last time somebody complained to one of us that we were "too smart". It's been...decades for me.

We don't have to be nerds anymore. We can be socially aware, sophisticated, successful with the ladies, and, oh yes, we also like proving that we know how to make vintage computers work for us.

That's my take on it. Comments?

Sean
 
In today's economy, women, who are programmed by evolution to select successful individuals, embraced technical ability as being sexy. When was the last time somebody complained to one of us that we were "too smart". It's been...decades for me.
Sean

My wife subscribes to this notion, so no problem there. Though it may be not the successful at something part, but the slight crazy obsessive look I tend to get when I'm on a project.

It's also about a sense of security. The burly guy may be able to protect/secure in an unstable environment, but for the long term someone who has it upstairs can provide that sense of stability and security.

Nathan
 
just the title along brought me into this thread.
'computer geek vs computer nerd'.
I love it!!!!!
and Floppies_only, you nailed it with regards to women. They have responded alot better the the geeks of the world vs the laborer's and buff construction workers.
Good times, Good times
Will
 
There was some news article saying that the money has started to flip there. Instead of the sports millionaires there are lots of technical folks now who are there so that leads towards recognition of success.

Unfortunately as my .. "friend" (a woman I'd like to be more) pointed me to an article from yahoo yesterday pointing out why the nice guy always comes in last. This was highly discouraging and I dunno even though it's fluff and the author looks like she should have a made in china stamp on her butt somewhere ("..little work done?").

So while I'm in no way upset that someone like her wouldn't want a nice guy I'm in the crappy same boat as the failed friend watching good women get wasted on bad men. They tell me not to ever change and how I'm not like anyone they've met and all this but don't have an interest.

I know they say size matters, but I swear my collection is one of the largest around. What gives?
 
Well, as MikeS can attest, I hardly look the part of a nerd, geek, whatever and, although superior to 97% of the world's population, I am humble about it :)

Always was the "bad boy" of the crowd, but with smarts and the unique ability to make women laugh.

The class clown, then the 3-piece suit with hair down to the shoulder blades, now that "old cool dude down the street". I've done OK, but, I have, for the last 30 some-odd years (yeah, I know how many years and the anniversary date, I told you I'm smart LOL) I've been with the same lady and she suits me well.

You younguns take heart though, because it's always darkest right before it goes completely black LMAO
 
for the last 30 some-odd years (yeah, I know how many years and the anniversary date, I told you I'm smart LOL) I've been with the same lady and she suits me well.

congrats

You younguns take heart though, because it's always darkest right before it goes completely black LMAO

wtf is that supposed to mean? I was reading and expecting something about the sun or greatest things and then "goes completely black"? lol
 
In today's economy, women, who are programmed by evolution to select successful individuals, embraced technical ability as being sexy.

My wife and I were just talking about this. Unfortunately, this has also contributed to the rise in Autism cases (that, and better diagnoses). Only "smart" parents have autistic children (by "smart" I mean good in math, logic, computers, or music). Previously, when being "buff" was what women were attracted to, this didn't crop up as much. Now that being a geek is sexy and a sign of success, we are starting to see Autism rise.

I know this sounds idiotic to people who aren't familiar with Autism, but seriously -- look it up.
 
My wife and I were just talking about this. Unfortunately, this has also contributed to the rise in Autism cases (that, and better diagnoses). Only "smart" parents have autistic children (by "smart" I mean good in math, logic, computers, or music). Previously, when being "buff" was what women were attracted to, this didn't crop up as much. Now that being a geek is sexy and a sign of success, we are starting to see Autism rise.

I know this sounds idiotic to people who aren't familiar with Autism, but seriously -- look it up.

Doesn't sound idiotic to me, my son is autistic, and I strongly suspect I have asperger syndrome.

Although the missus blames something they use in the vaccinations.
 
Doesn't sound idiotic to me, my son is autistic, and I strongly suspect I have asperger syndrome.

Although the missus blames something they use in the vaccinations.

My eldest is autisic, and I have also wondered about myself the same way :)

Your wife, please don't take this the wrong way, is ignorant. It is not the vaccinations. Thimerasol (mercury) was removed from MMR vaccines in the late 1990s specifically for this concern, and guess what? The number of autism diagnoses have actually risen, not fallen. If it was the vaccinations, there would have been a massive wholesale drop in newly-reported autism cases across the country. Obviously, there hasn't been.

Some people just don't want to accept it's genetic, I guess.
 
My eldest is autisic, and I have also wondered about myself the same way :)

Your wife, please don't take this the wrong way, is ignorant. It is not the vaccinations. Thimerasol (mercury) was removed from MMR vaccines in the late 1990s specifically for this concern, and guess what? The number of autism diagnoses have actually risen, not fallen. If it was the vaccinations, there would have been a massive wholesale drop in newly-reported autism cases across the country. Obviously, there hasn't been.

Some people just don't want to accept it's genetic, I guess.

Don't worry, no offense taken, I'm of the same opinion, she just refuses to accept that it could possibly be a coincidence that he started to regress (stopped talking amongst other things) after an immunisation.

I had no idea about myself showing signs of aspergers until I started looking into Autism after it was first suggested to us that our son might have it, and then it because as obvious as the nose on my face - it just explained so much. Which in a funny way gives me more hope for the little one - if I was able to function for 30 years blisfully unaware that I have a mild form of Autism, then it shows he's got a good chance of doing the same. At least, thats my perspective, and it also mens I have a better understanding of the challenges he faces in the future, because they'll be very much like the challenges I've had to face myself.

Anyway, sorry about my little rants, back to the geek/nerd talk, lol
 
wtf is that supposed to mean? I was reading and expecting something about the sun or greatest things and then "goes completely black"? lol

Most sayings (other than those in the Murphy's Law group) fail to take reality into consideration.

However, don't dispair, there is a light at the end of the tunnel (from a train heading YOUR way) :)
 
Don't worry, no offense taken, I'm of the same opinion, she just refuses to accept that it could possibly be a coincidence that he started to regress (stopped talking amongst other things) after an immunisation.

I had no idea about myself showing signs of aspergers until I started looking into Autism after it was first suggested to us that our son might have it, and then it because as obvious as the nose on my face - it just explained so much. Which in a funny way gives me more hope for the little one - if I was able to function for 30 years blisfully unaware that I have a mild form of Autism, then it shows he's got a good chance of doing the same. At least, thats my perspective, and it also mens I have a better understanding of the challenges he faces in the future, because they'll be very much like the challenges I've had to face myself.

Anyway, sorry about my little rants, back to the geek/nerd talk, lol

No, it's been educational -- you and I have nearly identical histories on this, which I find fascinating :) It certainly explains why I start catalogging websites (see mobygames.com) and have 20+ computers in my crawlspace...

For the record, our son started to regress a few weeks BEFORE the vaccination so that's how I always knew it was a crap argument. It's all parents who don't want to accept that it is, essentially, a congenital birth defect (of the brain).
 
Interestingly I came across an academic research paper once in 1988 or so titled "The pros and cons of computer addiction". By addiction the researchers meant computer addiction NOT Internet addiction of course.

Anyway it was an interesting read. It studied people that were self confessed "computer addicts". From what I remember (and it's a long time ago so don't trust my memory completely..I don't!) it found that these people tended to fit a stereotype. They tended to be interested in things technical kind of hobbies like astronomy, ham radio and photography. They also tended in the main to be loners. However, the way computing moved from a fringe hobby in the late 70s to totally mainstream in the 1980s, means these people were in demand for their advice! Hence they became very popular among at the workplace and among their peers. In this way, being a computer addict actually enriched their lives, especially if they were the type that enjoyed helping people.

There was also a downside in that if these people had a partner, the partner often became jealous of "the computer" and regarded it as a competitor. Computer addiction was often a cause of relationship breakdowns.

Tez
 
That's an interesting argument. I get jealous easy when my girlfriend is paying attention to other guys instead of myself (I know it's my own paranoia, etc) but never thought about them getting jealous if all your time goes to an inanimate object the same way.

Yeah I think a lot of us computer geeks were already closed off and computers give you a connection to the world in a wider perspective than most people realize. The new articles of computer addiction (which now are turning into and I've seen phone addiction) are based on removing your access to the internet and so much information that you've become acustom to having available seems to depress people and make you feel weak or powerless.

It's been brought up in a few "hacker" cases where removing a computer from that environment can cause everything up to withdrawls. I go through withdrawls myself if I'm without a computer for a few days.. or if one of my systems doesn't work I'm all pissy and sad in the duration.

- John
 
congrats



wtf is that supposed to mean? I was reading and expecting something about the sun or greatest things and then "goes completely black"? lol

It's called a non-sequitur, a comedic device of which I am also a master (well, a journeyman with aspirations anyways). Just one more thing I have in common with D, along with good looks, brains, and most important of all, attitude. I never had many geek-related problems when young, as I was able to hide my over-intelligence by under-achieving (and proud of it).

As for Autism, I've also been accused of having Asperger's, by some of the leading members of the Asperger's association (what was that acronym again?), but I think they're mistaking it for my severe Passive-Aggressive Syndrome. (I'm not in de Nile, I just don't believe in Mental Illness).

--T
 
That's an interesting argument. I get jealous easy when my girlfriend is paying attention to other guys instead of myself (I know it's my own paranoia, etc) but never thought about them getting jealous if all your time goes to an inanimate object the same way.

- John

Ex-wife: "You never talk to me anymore!"

Me: "Turn on your computer and IM me...we'll chat..."

Could this explain why she's the ex-wife?

--T
 
The essence of MI is to believe what you know to be false or impossible, or not believe something you know to be true. An example would be Moore's Paradox: "It's raining but I don't believe it is." Or in my case, I'm MI, so I don't believe in MI...and neither do any of my voices. (They tell me it's a symptom). BTW, none of my alters believe in MPD either.

--T
 
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that is an interesting take on it... perhaps you are right. i was more or less joking around though, as i have had (a small number) of satisfying conquests myself. ;)

i drive around in my mustang and i'm all like "hey baby, check out my QB code" and i show her my print outs and they swoon and then i get to have a fun night; but then i'm gone in the morning, as the call of the vintage computer brings me back to whats really important in life.
 
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