Geek

For other uses, seeGeek (disambiguation).

The wordgeekis aslangterm originally used to describeeccentricor non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert orenthusiastobsessed with a hobby orintellectualpursuit. In the past, it had a generallypejorativemeaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward".In the 21st century, it wasreclaimedand used by many people, especially members of somefandoms,as a positive term.

AGeek girlat theGeek Picnic(Moscow) wearing a Geek shirt and aVR headset

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

Etymology

The word comes fromEnglish dialectgeekorgeck(meaning a "fool" or "freak";fromMiddle Low GermanGeck).Geckis a standard term in modern German and means "fool" or "fop".The root also survives in theDutchandAfrikaansadjectivegek( "crazy" ), as well as someGerman dialects,like theAlsatianwordGickeleshut( "jester's hat "; used during carnival).In 18th centuryAustria,Geckenwere freaks on display in somecircuses.In 19th century North America, the termgeekreferred to a performer in ageek showin a circus,traveling carnivalortravelling funfairsideshows(see alsofreak show).The 1976 edition of theAmerican Heritage Dictionaryincluded only the definition regarding geek shows.This is the sense of "geek" inWilliam Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novelNightmare Alley,twice adapted for the screen in 1947 and 2021.

Definitions

The 1975 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary, published a decade before theDigital 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."

The termnerdhas a similar, practically synonymous meaning as geek, but many choose to identify different connotations among these two terms, although the differences are disputed.In a 2007 interview onThe Colbert Report,Richard Clarkesaid the difference between nerds and geeks is "geeks get it done" or "ggid".Julie Smithdefined 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 ascyberspace—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. "

Impact

Technologically oriented geeks, in particular, now exert a powerful influence over the global economy and society.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. PresidentBarack Obamamet with Facebook'sMark Zuckerbergand the CEOs of the world's largest technology firms at a private dinner in Woodside, California on February 17, 2011,New Yorkmagazine ran a story titled "The world's most powerful man meets President Obama".At the time, Zuckerberg's company had grown to over one billion users.

According toMark Roederthe rise of the geek represents a new phase of human evolution. In his book,Unnatural Selection: Why The Geeks Will Inherit The Earthhe suggests that "the high-tech environment of theAnthropocenefavours people with geek-like traits, many of whom are on theautism spectrum,ADHD,ordyslexia.Previously, such people may have been at a disadvantage, but now their unique cognitive traits enable some of them to resonate with the new technologicalzeitgeistand become very successful. "

The Economistmagazine 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."

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 blackhorn-rimmed glassesorbrowline glasses,suspenders/braces,andcapri 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 asDavid BeckhamandJustin Timberlake.Meanwhile, in the sports world, manyNBAplayers wore "geek glasses" duringpost-game interviews,drawing comparisons toSteve Urkel.

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

See also

• Akiba-keiandOtaku,Japanese slang
• Anorakandboffin,British slang
• Battleboarding
• Dweeb
• Furry
• Gamer
• Gamer girl
• Geek Code
• Geek girl
• Geek Pride Day
• Geek rock
• Geekcorps
• Girl Geek Dinners
• Greaser
• Grok
• Internet culture
• Jock
• Neckbeard (slang)
• Nerd
• Preppy
• Reappropriation
• Trekkie
• Video game culture

Further reading

• Reagle, Joseph(January 1, 2018)."Nerd vs. bro: Geek privilege, idiosyncrasy, and triumphalism".First Monday.23(1).doi:10.5210/fm.v23i1.7879.ISSN1396-0466.

External links

• Geek Culture: The Third Counter-Culture,an article discussing geek culture as a new kind of counter-culture.
• The Origins of Geek Culture: Perspectives on a Parallel Intellectual Milieu,an article about geek culture seen in a cultural historical perspective.
• Hoevel, Ann. "Are you a nerd or a geek?"CNN.December 2, 2010.
• "Geek Chic",USA Today,October 22, 2003
• "How Geek Chic Works"