gothicmarshmallon

Geek

A geek is a term for a strange and socially inept person, perticularly one with an obbsession with something obscure, hence ocaisional crossovers with Otaku culture.

The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no longer a definitive meaning. The terms nerd, gimp, dweeb, dork and spod have similar meanings as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations amongst these terms, although the differences are disputed.

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."

Richard Clarke said that the difference between geeks and nerds is that geeks 'get it done'.

Although being described as a geek tends to be an insult, the term has recently become more complimentary, or even a badge of honor, within particular fields. This is particularly evident in the technical disciplines, where the term is now often a compliment, denoting extraordinary skill.

Nerd Pride Day has been observed on May 25
The holiday promotes the right to be nerdy or geeky, and to express it in public without shame. A new convention, Geek.Kon, has sprung up in Madison, Wisconsin with a purpose to celebrate all things geek. In recent history, some geeks have cultivated a geek culture, such as geek humor and obscure references on T-shirts.

The so-called geek chic trend is a deliberate affectation of geek or nerd traits as a fashion statement.

Nonetheless, the common definition of a geek remains that of a person engrossed in his area of interest at the cost of social skills, personal hygiene and status.

Unlike nerds, who are, to an extent, hyper-formal, Geeks tend to dress more casually than most, because they do not care about fashion. The only definitive geek trends are geeky references on t-shirts, general sloppiness, and glasses: but even that isn't universal. Geeks generally don't care to much about music, but will listen to themes from cult tv shows or 'nerdcore'. Or just don't care. They often wear clothes that used to belong to their parents or older siblings, and generally give the impression that they just 'threw on whatever'.

Image from Deviantart, edited by me. Info from Wikipedia, except the last paragraph, which is mine.