Geek

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Geek girl at the Geek Picnic (Moscow) wearing a Geek shirt and a VR headset Geek Picnic (Moscow; 2014-01-26) 28.JPG
Geek girl at the Geek Picnic (Moscow) wearing a Geek shirt and a VR headset

The word geek is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generally pejorative meaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward". [1] In the 21st century, it was reclaimed and used by many people, especially members of some fandoms, as a positive term. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Some use the term self-referentially without malice or as a source of pride, [5] often referring simply to "someone who is interested in a subject (usually intellectual or complex) for its own sake".

Etymology

The word comes from English dialect geek or geck (meaning a "fool" or "freak"; from Middle Low German Geck). Geck is a standard term in modern German and means "fool" or "fop". [6] The root also survives in the Dutch and Afrikaans adjective gek ("crazy"), as well as some German dialects, like the Alsatian word Gickeleshut ("jester's hat"; used during carnival). [1] In 18th century Austria, Gecken were freaks on display in some circuses. In 19th century North America, the term geek referred to a performer in a geek show in a circus, traveling carnival or travelling funfair sideshows (see also freak show). [7] The 1976 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary included only the definition regarding geek shows.[ clarification needed ]

This variation of the term was used to comic effect in the 1970s TV shows such as Sanford & Son , and Starsky and Hutch . In the Bounty Hunter episode of 1976 of Starsky and Hutch, stating that "a geek is a freak in a circus side show, who is kept in a pit and they throw snakes and chicken heads at, and he runs around crazy and gobbles them up", and "in 1932 the geeks formed their own union". [8]

Professional wrestling manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie recorded a song in the 1970s called "Pencil-Necked Geek".

Definitions

The 1975 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary, published a decade before the Digital Revolution, gave only one definition: "Geek [noun, slang]. A carnival performer whose act usually consists of biting the head off a live chicken or snake." The tech revolution found new uses for this word, but it still often conveys a derogatory sting. In 2017, Dictionary.com gave five definitions, the fourth of which is "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, as biting off the head of a live chicken." [9]

The term nerd has a similar, practically synonymous meaning as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations among these two terms, although the differences are disputed. [10] In a 2007 interview on The Colbert Report , Richard Clarke said the difference between nerds and geeks is "geeks get it done" or "ggid". [11] Julie Smith defined a geek as "a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors, who thought of that secret, dreamy place his computer took him to as cyberspace—somewhere exciting, a place more real than his own life, a land he could conquer, not a drab teenager's room in his parents' house." [12]

Impact

Geeks are often associated with a high appreciation for mathematics. Here, an approximation of the number p (pi) extends from the logo of a Mazda3, parked at University of California, Irvine. Mazda3-pi.jpg
Geeks are often associated with a high appreciation for mathematics. Here, an approximation of the number π (pi) extends from the logo of a Mazda3, parked at University of California, Irvine.

Technologically oriented geeks, in particular, now exert a powerful influence over the global economy and society. [13] Whereas previous generations of geeks tended to operate in research departments, laboratories and support functions, now they increasingly occupy senior corporate positions, and wield considerable commercial and political influence. When U.S. President Barack Obama met with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and the CEOs of the world's largest technology firms at a private dinner in Woodside, California on February 17, 2011, New York magazine ran a story titled "The world's most powerful man meets President Obama". [14] At the time, Zuckerberg's company had grown to over one billion users.

According to Mark Roeder the rise of the geek represents a new phase of human evolution. In his book, Unnatural Selection: Why The Geeks Will Inherit The Earth [15] he suggests that "the high-tech environment of the Anthropocene favours people with geek-like traits, many of whom are on the autism spectrum, ADHD, or dyslexia. Previously, such people may have been at a disadvantage, but now their unique cognitive traits enable some of them to resonate with the new technological zeitgeist and become very successful."

The Economist magazine observed, on June 2, 2012, "Those square pegs (geeks) may not have an easy time in school. They may be mocked by jocks and ignored at parties. But these days no serious organisation can prosper without them." [16]

Fashion

"Geek chic" refers to a minor fashion trend that arose in the mid 2000s (decade), in which young people adopted "geeky" fashions, such as oversized black horn-rimmed glasses, suspenders/braces, and capri pants. The glasses quickly became the defining aspect of the trend, with the media identifying various celebrities as "trying geek" or "going geek" for wearing such glasses, such as David Beckham and Justin Timberlake. Meanwhile, in the sports world, many NBA players wore "geek glasses" during post-game interviews, drawing comparisons to Steve Urkel. [17] [18]

The term "geek chic" was appropriated by some self-identified "geeks" to refer to a new, socially acceptable role in a technologically advanced society. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical, abstract, or relating to niche topics such as science fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Additionally, many so-called nerds are described as being shy, quirky, pedantic, and unattractive.

In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair, or other such attraction.

<i>Pussy</i> Term with multiple meanings

Pussy is a term used as a noun, an adjective, and—in rare instances—a verb in the English language. It has several meanings, as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. Most commonly, it is used as a noun with the meaning "cat", "coward", or "weakling". In slang usage, it can mean "vulva or vagina" and less commonly, as a form of synecdoche, meaning "sexual intercourse with a woman". Because of its multiple senses including both innocent and vulgar connotations, pussy is often the subject of double entendre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fan (person)</span> Person who is enthusiastically devoted to something or someone

A fan or fanatic, sometimes also termed an aficionado or enthusiast, is a person who exhibits strong interest or admiration for something or somebody, such as a celebrity, a sport, a sports team, a genre, a politician, a book, a movie, a video game or an entertainer. Collectively, the fans of a particular object or person constitute its fanbase or fandom. They may show their enthusiasm in a variety of ways, such as by promoting the object of their interest, being members of a related fan club, holding or participating in fan conventions or writing fan mail. They may also engage in creative activities such as creating fanzines, writing fan fiction, making memes or drawing fan art.

This is a list of British words not widely used in the United States. In Commonwealth of Nations, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, India, South Africa, and Australia, some of the British terms listed are used, although another usage is often preferred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freak</span> Unusual person

A freak is a person who is physically deformed or transformed due to an extraordinary medical condition or body modification. This definition was first attested with this meaning in the 1880s as a shorter form of the phrase "freak of nature", itself a broader term meaning "whimsy or caprice of nature", attributed at least as far back as 1847. The term's original neutral connotation became entirely negative during the 20th century; therefore, freak with its literal meaning of "abnormally developed individual" is viewed purely as a pejorative today. However, the term is also recently used playfully to refer to an enthusiast or obsessive person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egghead</span> American slang or epithet

In U.S. English slang, egghead is an epithet used to refer to intellectuals or people considered out-of-touch with ordinary people and lacking in realism, common sense, sexual interests, etc. on account of their intellectual interests. A similar, though not necessarily pejorative, British term is boffin. The term egghead reached its peak currency during the 1950s, when vice-presidential candidate Richard Nixon used it against Democratic Presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson. It was used by Bill Clinton advisor Paul Begala in the 2008 presidential campaign to describe Senator Barack Obama's supporters when he said, "Obama can't win with just the eggheads and African-Americans."

"Chav", also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear. The use of the word has been described as a form of "social racism". "Chavette" is a related term referring to female chavs, and the adjectives "chavvy", "chavvish", and "chavtastic" are used to describe things associated with chavs, such as fashion, slang, etc. In other countries like Ireland, "skanger" is used in a similar manner. In Ontario, the term is "hoodman", an equivalent of the term "roadman" used in England. In Newfoundland, "skeet" is used in a similar way, while in Australia, "eshay" or "adlay" is used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carny</span> American slang term for carnival employee

Carny, also spelled carnie, is an informal term used in North America for a traveling carnival employee, and the language they use, particularly when the employee operates a game ("joint"), food stand, or ride at a carnival. The term "showie" is used synonymously in Australia, while "showman" is used in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jock (stereotype)</span> Stereotype of an athlete

In the United States and Canada, a jock is a stereotype of an athlete, or someone who is primarily interested in sports and sports culture, and does not take much interest in intellectual activity. It is generally applied mostly to high school and college athletics participants who form a distinct youth subculture. As a blanket term, jock can be considered synonymous with athlete. Jocks are usually presented as male practitioners of team sports such as American football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and ice hockey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traveling carnival</span> Moveable amusement park

A traveling carnival, usually simply called a carnival, travelling funfair or travelling show, is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, and animal acts. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park or funfair, but is moved from place to place. Its roots are similar to the 19th century circus with both being fitted-up in open fields near or in town and moving to a new location after a period of time. In fact, many carnivals have circuses while others have a clown aesthetic in their decor. Unlike traditional Carnival celebrations, the North American traveling carnival is not tied to a religious observance.

Himbo, a portmanteau of the English masculine pronoun him and bimbo, is a slang term for a sexually attractive, sexualized, naïve and unintelligent man. The first known use dates back to 1988; the word gained renewed popularity and attention in the 2010s and 2020s. Since its inception, the term and the stereotype it describes have generated a range of commentary and reactions from writers, entertainers, linguists, and cultural analysts.

Dag is an Australian and New Zealand slang term, also daggy (adjective). In Australia, it is often used as an affectionate insult for someone who is, or is perceived to be, unfashionable, lacking self-consciousness about their appearance and/or with poor social skills yet affable and amusing. It is also used to describe an amusing, quirky and likeable person and is non-pejorative. The term was more widely used in the 1970s due to the popular New Zealand comedy of Fred Dagg. The term may be simply affectionate, such as when it was used to describe the recipes in the enduringly popular The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book.

Geek shows were an act in traveling carnivals and circuses of early America and were often part of a larger sideshow.

Chic Meets Geek is a red carpet event and conference hosted by Carol Tran. A non-profit beneficiary is highlighted at every Chic Meets Geek event and is themed around the speaker panelists' expertise, often ranging from fashion to science.

Nerdist News is a Nerdist-branded pop culture newsletter launched in February 2012. It was founded and operated by Nerdist Industries' CEO, Peter Levin, and its CCO, Chris Hardwick. It was hosted by Jessica Chobot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lensless glasses</span> Glasses lacking lenses, worn for fashion

Lensless glasses are glasses that lack lenses. They are worn solely for aesthetic or fashion purposes, having no function in vision correction or eye protection. The frames are usually oversized, and commonly all black in color. They may be worn in conjunction with contact lenses. Advantages of lensless glasses are that they do not fog or reflect, and there is no lens that will touch long eyelashes and eyelash extensions.

"Brogrammer" or "tech bro" are slang terms for stereotypically masculine programmers. Brogrammer is a portmanteau of bro and programmer. It is often used pejoratively to describe toxic masculinity and sexism in the technology industry, but some programmers self-describe themselves as a brogrammer positively as a word for "sociable or outgoing programmer", and it also tends to represent a subculture within the greater tech industry. An example sometimes cited of targeted advertising toward "brogrammers" is an early Klout hiring advert posted at a Stanford University career fair as "Want to bro down and crush some code? Klout is hiring." The company later described it as a joke and as an unfortunate misstep.

Nerdist Industries, LLC is part of the digital division of Legendary Entertainment. Nerdist Industries was founded as a sole podcast created by Chris Hardwick but later spread to include a network of podcasts, a premium content YouTube channel, a news division, and a television version of the original podcast produced by and aired on BBC America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technosexual</span> Male personality type

Technosexual is a term that circulated in media, fashion, and online outlets of the 2000s to describe a male that possesses a strong aesthetic sense and a love of technology.

References

  1. 1 2 "Geek". Dictionary.com-Merriam-Webster entry. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ Are 'geek' and 'nerd' now positive terms? - BBC News
  3. ↑ Geek Is Now A Praiseword, Not An Insult Apparently - Forbes
  4. ↑ The transformation of the word geek - Columbia Journalism Review
  5. ↑ Olivri, Thomas (November 4, 2014). Geek-Art: An Anthology: Art, Design, Illustration & Pop Culture. Chronicle Books. p. 4. ISBN   9781452140483 – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "Duden | Geck | Rechtschreibung, Bedeutung, Definition, Synonyme, Herkunft" (in German). Duden.de. October 30, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Geek". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Episode 22, Bounty Hunter, Revisited". March 23, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Dictionary.com: Geek" . Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ Kaestle, Thomas (April 14, 2016). "The story of Traceroute, about a Leitnerd's quest". Boing Boing. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  11. ↑ The Colbert Report 17th of January video interview Richard Clarke
  12. ↑ "Reconstruction 6.1 (Winter 2006)". Reconstruction.eserver.org. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  13. ↑ Beckett, Jamie (October 24, 2012). "Study shows Stanford alumni create nearly $3 trillion in economic impact each year". Stanford News.
  14. ↑ Amira, Dan (February 18, 2011). "The world's most powerful man meets President Obama". New York Magazine .
  15. ↑ "Unnatural Selection by Mark Roeder". Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  16. ↑ "In praise of misfits". The Economist. June 2, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Whacky NBA Playoff Fashion!". YouTube. May 29, 2012. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  18. ↑ Cacciola, Scott (June 14, 2012). "NBA Finals: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Other Fashion Plates of the NBA Make Specs of Themselves". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  19. ↑ Lambert, Katie (July 15, 2007). "How Stuff works: Geek Chic". People.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved June 30, 2014.

Further reading

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