Hello. MY name is Cameron Turner and I am a Geek™. I’ve been a geek since before I can remember, and I’m proud of it. I however would never use the term nerd to describe myself. Here’s why…
I think of the term geek as someone who is technically proficient beyond the average for a particular kind of knowledge. For example a mechanic is a car-geek and a personal trainer is a fitness-geek. I simply happen to fit more of the traditional definition of geek, as in a computer-geek. That is, at least for the most part, since I’m also working on becoming a business-geek and a daddy-geek too.
What is a nerd then? Well, for me, the term nerd is the more obsessive-compulsive, inbred-cousin of the term geek. In my mind it’s a derogatory term so I try to avoid using it to label someone. Nerds tend to be so obsessed with a single body of knowledge that they ignore all else. They are typically anti-social (except when with like-minded nerds) and have many of the negative traits that fit the stereotype commonly mis-labeled as geek.
As a Geek™, I have a lovely wife (super-model beautiful actually), a child, many friends (few who are computer-geeks), and many hobbies (like painting). I use my geekery to make money and help others, but would rather be outside playing sports (tennis, skiing, hiking or biking) on a nice day than inside getting a tan from the radiation of my monitor.
That said, I’m also likely to geekify athletic, outdoor activities by taking a GPS device on a hike, using my digital camera to take pictures of others water-skiing or contemplating an infallible computer-based line-judge for tennis when I miss a serve.
I like to think that the scriptures have been mis-translated somewhere over the eons and should really read “The Geeks shall inherit the earth.” If so, someone, way back when was a prophet.
Update January 2010: I probably wouldn’t even write this today. How my perspective changes in four years eh?. I care much less about definitions or labels. I wonder what life-event triggered this post four years ago? Obviously not really important as I can’t even remember it now.
