Nerd: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous edit Next edit →Content deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 23:21, 24 November 2007 view source88.105.213.135 (talk) LOL← Previous edit		Revision as of 23:21, 24 November 2007 view source VoABot II (talk \| contribs)274,019 editsm BOT - Reverted edits by 88.105.213.135 {possible vandalism} to revision #173573061 by "KnowledgeOfSelf".Next edit →
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{otheruses}}{{wiktionarypar\|nerd}}
	Nerds Suck Hi Jay :D
			] as the archetypal nerd, Lewis Skolnick in '']'']]

			'''Nerd''' is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or ], that refers to a person who passionately pursues ] activities or ] knowledge rather than engaging in more ], such as organized sports. Therefore, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a ] by peers.

			While the term is nearly synonymous with '']'' or '']'' in reference to passionate intellectual pursuits and social ineptitude, ''nerd'' has the added implication of being affable and amusing.{{Fact\|date=October 2007}}


			== Etymology ==
			The word "nerd" first appeared as the name of an imaginary animal in ] book ] (]), in which the narrator Gerald McGrew claims that he would collect "a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker too" for his imaginary zoo.<ref>], '']'', p. 47, Random House Books for Young Readers, New York, 1950</ref> The ] meaning of the term dates back to ], when ] magazine reported on its popular use in ].<ref>'']'' (1951-10-8), p. 16</ref> By the early ], usage of the term had spread throughout the United States and even as far as Scotland.<ref>Gregory J. Marsh in Special Collections at the ] library as reported in (1990-6-28) Vol. 4, No. 0235.</ref><ref>Glasgow, Scotland, ''Sunday Mail'' (1957-2-10)</ref> Throughout this first decade, the definition—a dull person—remained constant and was, at the time, a synonym for "]" or "]." It was only later, in the 1970s, that the word took on connotations of bookishness and ].

			An alternate spelling, as ''nurd'', also began to appear in the mid-1960s or early 70s.<ref>''Current Slang: A Quarterly Glossary of Slang Expressions Currently In Use'' (1971), Vol. V, No. 4, Spring 1971, p. 17 </ref> Author ] claims to have coined this spelling in 1973, but its first recorded use appeared in a 1965 student publication at ].<ref>Personal Correspondence (1973-9-4) reported on </ref><ref>RPI ''Bachelor'' (1965), V14 #1</ref> ] there holds that the word is derived from "knurd" ("]" spelled backwards), which was used to describe people who studied rather than partied. On the other hand, the variant "gnurd" was in wide use at the ] throughout the first half of the 1970s.

			Other theories of the word's origin suggest that it may derive from ], ] ventriloquist dummy, or the ] labs in ] (now ]). The ] speculates that the word is an alteration of the 1940s term ''nert'' (meaning "stupid or crazy person"), which is itself an alteration of "]."<ref>''The Online Etymology Dictionary.'' "Nerd." </ref> Finally, it is possible that "nerd" is an abbreviation of the English phrase "ne'er do well."{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

			==Characteristics==
			The stereotypical nerd is intelligent but socially and physically awkward. In film and television depictions, nerds are disproportionately ]s with ] and ].<ref>Lori Kendall. "OH NO! I'M A NERD!": Hegemonic Masculinity on an Online Forum. ''Gender Society''. '''14''':256. (2000)</ref><ref>Ron Eglash. Race, Sex, and Nerds. ''Social Text''. '''20:''' 49 (2002) </ref> It has been suggested by some, such as linguist Mary Bucholtz, that being a nerd may be a state of being "hyperwhite" and rejecting ] and ] that "cool" white children use.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/magazine/29wwln-idealab-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin\|title= Who’s a Nerd, Anyway? \|accessdate=2007-07-28 \|author=Benjamin Nugent\|date=July 29, 2007\|work=New York Times Magazine\|}}</ref> However, after the introduction of the ] character on the television series '']'', nerds have been seen in all races and colors, especially, in recent years as a recurring young ] male stereotype. Further, the term and its use predate the popularity of African-American behavior mimickry in some whites, which did not really take off in significant levels until the early 1990's. Also, many popular whites haven't acted or dressed in an African-American style at all, such as the grunge trend, for example.

			They typically appear either to lack confidence or to be indifferent or oblivious to the negative perceptions held of them by others, with the result that they become frequent objects of scorn, ridicule, ], and ]. They show a pronounced interest in subjects which others tend to find dull or complex and difficult to comprehend, especially topics related to ], ], ] and ]. Nerds are often portrayed as either obese or incredibly thin. They are also stereotyped to playing ] such as ], ], and other things relating to ] and ]. They are also stereotyped for being obsessed with Star Trek, Star Wars, and other sci fi shows or movies.

			==Nerds and Asperger syndrome==
			Many traits associated with the nerd stereotype—an unusual penchant for accumulating highly specialized or technical knowledge, impaired social ability, and/or occasionally poor ]—are characteristics of ], an ]. The existence of the nerd concept in the popular consciousness may be attributed to ] between certain behavioral and cognitive predispositions, which at the extreme results in forms of ]. Studies using the ] (AQ), a measure of autistic tendencies, find that occupations commonly linked to the nerd stereotype are associated with elevated AQ, with the highest average AQ seen among computer scientists, mathematicians and physicists.<ref>S. Baron-Cohen, S. Wheelwright, R. Skinner, J. Martin and E. Clubley, , ''Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders'' '''31''', 5-17 (2001)</ref> Other studies have found associations between heightened AQ and prenatal ] exposure as well as genetic factors, suggesting a distinct genetic and developmental basis for traits associated with the nerd stereotype.<ref>Rebecca Knickmeyer, Simon Baron-Cohen, Briony A. Fane, Sally Wheelwright, Greta A. Mathews, Gerard S. Conway, Charles G.D. Brook and Melissa Hines. Androgens and autistic traits: A study of individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. ''Hormones and Behavior'', '''50''', 148-153 (2006)</ref><ref>Francesca Happe, Patrick Bolton, Lee M. Butcher, et al. Genetic heterogeneity between the three components of the autism spectrum: a twin study. ''Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry'' '''45''':691 (2006)</ref>

			==Contemporary pride==
			In the 1984 film ], starring ] and ], Carradine in particular worked to embody the nerd stereotype and, in doing so, helped create a definitive image.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} Additionally, the storyline presaged, and may have helped inspire, the "nerd pride" that emerged in the 1990s. '']'' regular ] claims this was the movie that inspired him to become "The Genuine Nerd from ]."<ref>{{Citation \| last = Hensley \| first = Dennis \| author-link = http://www.dennishensley.com \| title = Revenge of the nerd: American Splendor's Toby Radloff is out and proud about his sexuality and his nerddom \| magazine = The Advocate \|date=2003-09-02 \| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Sept_2/ai_110737685}}</ref> Many seem to share Radloff's view, as "nerd pride" has become more widespread in the years since. ] professor ], for example, seeks to instill pride in nerds:

			<blockquote>"My idea is to present an image to children that it is good to be intellectual, and not to care about the peer pressures to be anti-intellectual. I want every child to turn into a nerd - where that means someone who prefers studying and learning to competing for social dominance, which can unfortunately cause the downward spiral into social rejection."</blockquote>
			:: — Gerald Sussman, quoted by Katie Hafner, '']'', ] ]

			The popular computer-news website ] uses the ] "News for nerds. Stuff that matters." Similarly, the ] quote "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one" has been popularized on the Internet and incorrectly attributed to ].<ref>{{Citation \| last = Mikkelson \| first = Barbara \| last2 = Mikkelson \| first2 = David P. \| title = Some Rules Kids Won't Learn in School \| year = 2000 \| url = http://www.snopes.com/language/document/liferule.asp \| accessdate = 2007-07-22 }}</ref> In ], ] has been observed on ] since 2006.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

			In mass media, an episode from the animated series ], titled "Nerdator," includes the use of nerds to power the mind of a ]-like enemy, who delivers a memorable monologue on the importance of nerds:{{Fact\|date=May 2007}}

			:"…what they lack in physical strength they make up in brain power. Who writes all the best selling books? Nerds. Who directs the top grossing ] movies? Nerds. Who creates the highly advanced technology that only they can understand? ...Nerds. And who are the people who run for the high office of the Presidency? No one but nerds."

			Additionally, the Danish reality TV show ], known in the internationally franchised format as ], established a format wherein a team of nerds, after two or three months of training, competes with a professional ] team.

			Finally, ] is a genre of hip hop music that has risen in popularity over the last few years, often expressing nerd themes with pride and humor. Notable artists include ], ], ], ], and ]. ] has also recorded "]". The term "nerdcore" has seen wider application to refer to ] (most notably ], ], ], and ]) and other media that express nerd themes uninhibited.{{Fact\|date=May 2007}}

			==Notes and references==
			{{reflist\|2}}

			==See also==
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* '']'', a short film about Nerds
			* '']'', a ] film about college nerds' revenge on the jocks
			* '']''
			* ]
			* '']'', a song by ]

			==Further reading==
			* Tocci, Jason. "" (Paper given at the . PDF, 180kb).
			* Kendall, Lori. "'The Nerd Within': Mass Media and the Negotiation of Identity Among Computer-Using Men." '']'', 7(3) (1999): 353-69.
			* Kendall, Lori. "Nerd Nation: Images of Nerds in U.S. Popular Culture." ''International Journal of Cultural Studies'', Vol. 2, No. 2, 260-283 (1999)
			* Kendall, Lori. "'Oh No! I'm a Nerd!': Hegemonic Masculinity on an Online Forum." ''Gender & Society'', 14 (2) (2000): 256-274.

			===Female nerds===
			* Bucholtz, Mary. ""Why be normal?": Language and identity practices in a community of nerd girls." ''Language in Society'' (1999), 28: 203-223. Cambridge University Press.
			* Newitz, A. & Anders, C. (Eds) ''She's Such a Geek: Women Write About Science, Technology, and Other Nerdy Stuff''. Seal Press, 2006.

			===In Japan===
			* '''' (PDF, 366kb). Japan, 2004.
			* Okada, Toshio. ''Otaku Gaku Nyumon'' (Translated: 'Introduction to ]ology'). Ohta Verlag. Tokyo, 1996.

			===Substantial cinema-released documentaries===
			* '''' (2006) (Feature-length documentary on Toby Radloff).

			===Background material===
			* Frayling, Christopher. ''Mad, Bad And Dangerous?: The Scientist and the Cinema''. Reaktion Books, 2005.

			==External links==
			<!-- Wikipedians: because of recent spam-links (a form of Misplaced Pages vandalism), please discuss external links on the talk page first. Thanks. -->
			* An essay by ] about the conformist society in American highschools.
			* , an article in the ]

			]
			]
			]
			]
			]

			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]

Revision as of 23:21, 24 November 2007

For other uses, see Nerd (disambiguation).

File:Nerd.jpg

Robert Carradine as the archetypal nerd, Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds

Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities or esoteric knowledge rather than engaging in more social activities, such as organized sports. Therefore, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a loner by peers.

While the term is nearly synonymous with dork or geek in reference to passionate intellectual pursuits and social ineptitude, nerd has the added implication of being affable and amusing.

Etymology

The word "nerd" first appeared as the name of an imaginary animal in Dr. Seuss's book If I Ran the Zoo (1950), in which the narrator Gerald McGrew claims that he would collect "a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker too" for his imaginary zoo. The slang meaning of the term dates back to 1951, when Newsweek magazine reported on its popular use in Detroit, Michigan. By the early 1960s, usage of the term had spread throughout the United States and even as far as Scotland. Throughout this first decade, the definition—a dull person—remained constant and was, at the time, a synonym for "square" or "drip." It was only later, in the 1970s, that the word took on connotations of bookishness and social ineptitude.

An alternate spelling, as nurd, also began to appear in the mid-1960s or early 70s. Author Philip K. Dick claims to have coined this spelling in 1973, but its first recorded use appeared in a 1965 student publication at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Oral tradition there holds that the word is derived from "knurd" ("drunk" spelled backwards), which was used to describe people who studied rather than partied. On the other hand, the variant "gnurd" was in wide use at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology throughout the first half of the 1970s.

Other theories of the word's origin suggest that it may derive from Mortimer Snerd, Edgar Bergen's ventriloquist dummy, or the Northern Electric Research and Development labs in Ontario (now Nortel). The Online Etymology Dictionary speculates that the word is an alteration of the 1940s term nert (meaning "stupid or crazy person"), which is itself an alteration of "nut." Finally, it is possible that "nerd" is an abbreviation of the English phrase "ne'er do well."

Characteristics

The stereotypical nerd is intelligent but socially and physically awkward. In film and television depictions, nerds are disproportionately white males with glasses and braces. It has been suggested by some, such as linguist Mary Bucholtz, that being a nerd may be a state of being "hyperwhite" and rejecting African-American culture and slang that "cool" white children use. However, after the introduction of the Steve Urkel character on the television series Family Matters, nerds have been seen in all races and colors, especially, in recent years as a recurring young Asian male stereotype. Further, the term and its use predate the popularity of African-American behavior mimickry in some whites, which did not really take off in significant levels until the early 1990's. Also, many popular whites haven't acted or dressed in an African-American style at all, such as the grunge trend, for example.

They typically appear either to lack confidence or to be indifferent or oblivious to the negative perceptions held of them by others, with the result that they become frequent objects of scorn, ridicule, bullying, and social isolation. They show a pronounced interest in subjects which others tend to find dull or complex and difficult to comprehend, especially topics related to science, disambiguation, mathematics and technology. Nerds are often portrayed as either obese or incredibly thin. They are also stereotyped to playing role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, MMORPGs, and other things relating to fantasy and science fiction. They are also stereotyped for being obsessed with Star Trek, Star Wars, and other sci fi shows or movies.

Nerds and Asperger syndrome

Many traits associated with the nerd stereotype—an unusual penchant for accumulating highly specialized or technical knowledge, impaired social ability, and/or occasionally poor motor coordination—are characteristics of Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. The existence of the nerd concept in the popular consciousness may be attributed to covariance between certain behavioral and cognitive predispositions, which at the extreme results in forms of autism. Studies using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a measure of autistic tendencies, find that occupations commonly linked to the nerd stereotype are associated with elevated AQ, with the highest average AQ seen among computer scientists, mathematicians and physicists. Other studies have found associations between heightened AQ and prenatal testosterone exposure as well as genetic factors, suggesting a distinct genetic and developmental basis for traits associated with the nerd stereotype.

Contemporary pride

In the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds, starring Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, Carradine in particular worked to embody the nerd stereotype and, in doing so, helped create a definitive image. Additionally, the storyline presaged, and may have helped inspire, the "nerd pride" that emerged in the 1990s. American Splendor regular Toby Radloff claims this was the movie that inspired him to become "The Genuine Nerd from Cleveland, Ohio." Many seem to share Radloff's view, as "nerd pride" has become more widespread in the years since. MIT professor Gerald Sussman, for example, seeks to instill pride in nerds:

"My idea is to present an image to children that it is good to be intellectual, and not to care about the peer pressures to be anti-intellectual. I want every child to turn into a nerd - where that means someone who prefers studying and learning to competing for social dominance, which can unfortunately cause the downward spiral into social rejection."

— Gerald Sussman, quoted by Katie Hafner, The New York Times, 29 August 1993

The popular computer-news website Slashdot uses the tagline "News for nerds. Stuff that matters." Similarly, the Charles J. Sykes quote "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one" has been popularized on the Internet and incorrectly attributed to Bill Gates. In Spain, Nerd Pride Day has been observed on May 25 since 2006.

In mass media, an episode from the animated series Freakazoid, titled "Nerdator," includes the use of nerds to power the mind of a Predator-like enemy, who delivers a memorable monologue on the importance of nerds:

"…what they lack in physical strength they make up in brain power. Who writes all the best selling books? Nerds. Who directs the top grossing Hollywood movies? Nerds. Who creates the highly advanced technology that only they can understand? ...Nerds. And who are the people who run for the high office of the Presidency? No one but nerds."

Additionally, the Danish reality TV show FC Zulu, known in the internationally franchised format as FC Nerds, established a format wherein a team of nerds, after two or three months of training, competes with a professional soccer team.

Finally, Nerdcore hip hop is a genre of hip hop music that has risen in popularity over the last few years, often expressing nerd themes with pride and humor. Notable artists include MC Plus+, MC Hawking, MC Lars, MC Chris, and MC Frontalot. "Weird Al" Yankovic has also recorded "White and Nerdy". The term "nerdcore" has seen wider application to refer to webcomics (most notably Penny Arcade, User Friendly, PvP, and Megatokyo) and other media that express nerd themes uninhibited.

Notes and references

Geisel, Theodor Seuss, If I Ran the Zoo, p. 47, Random House Books for Young Readers, New York, 1950
Newsweek (1951-10-8), p. 16
Gregory J. Marsh in Special Collections at the Swarthmore College library as reported in Humanist Discussion Group (1990-6-28) Vol. 4, No. 0235.
Glasgow, Scotland, Sunday Mail (1957-2-10)
Current Slang: A Quarterly Glossary of Slang Expressions Currently In Use (1971), Vol. V, No. 4, Spring 1971, p. 17
Personal Correspondence (1973-9-4) reported on the web
RPI Bachelor (1965), V14 #1
The Online Etymology Dictionary. "Nerd."
Lori Kendall. "OH NO! I'M A NERD!": Hegemonic Masculinity on an Online Forum. Gender Society. 14:256. (2000)
Ron Eglash. Race, Sex, and Nerds. Social Text. 20: 49 (2002)
Benjamin Nugent (July 29, 2007). "Who's a Nerd, Anyway?". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 2007-07-28. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
S. Baron-Cohen, S. Wheelwright, R. Skinner, J. Martin and E. Clubley, The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) : Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism, Males and Females, Scientists and Mathematicians, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 31, 5-17 (2001)
Rebecca Knickmeyer, Simon Baron-Cohen, Briony A. Fane, Sally Wheelwright, Greta A. Mathews, Gerard S. Conway, Charles G.D. Brook and Melissa Hines. Androgens and autistic traits: A study of individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Hormones and Behavior, 50, 148-153 (2006)
Francesca Happe, Patrick Bolton, Lee M. Butcher, et al. Genetic heterogeneity between the three components of the autism spectrum: a twin study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 45:691 (2006)
Hensley, Dennis (2003-09-02), "Revenge of the nerd: American Splendor's Toby Radloff is out and proud about his sexuality and his nerddom", The Advocate {{citation}}: Check |author-link= value (help); External link in |author-link= (help)
Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David P. (2000), Some Rules Kids Won't Learn in School, retrieved 2007-07-22

External links

"Why Nerds are Unpopular" An essay by Paul Graham about the conformist society in American highschools.
"The Nerds have won", an article in the American Scientist

Categories:

Revision as of 23:21, 24 November 2007

Etymology

Characteristics

Nerds and Asperger syndrome

Contemporary pride

Notes and references

See also

Further reading

Female nerds

In Japan

Substantial cinema-released documentaries

Background material

External links