Geek and Nerd Are As Bad As Racial Epithets

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Today’s idiotic statement of the day comes from a psychology professor that thinks we should ban the words Geek and Nerd because they are as damaging as racial epithets. Say what!?!?!

But David Anderegg, a professor of psychology at Bennington College, says that merely mentioning terms like nerd or geek serves to perpetuate the stereotype. The words are damaging, much like racial epithets, he says, and should be avoided. “The best way to combat this,” he said, “is put it to bed,” banishing “nerd” and “geek” to the linguistic dustbin.
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Really? Being called geek and nerd really never hurt my self esteem one bit, of course when people use racial slurs against me, I don't care either.
 
Hey I'm proud to be a Geeky nerd. Maybe we should have a parade or something? We can go drag .. I'll bring the Brill Cream and pocket protectors. ;)
 
Let's just ban all forms of speech, and the majority of thought. Leave us with only the basic neural impulse to control our comatose bodies. :rolleyes:
 
rufio said:
Let's just ban all forms of speech, and the majority of thought. Leave us with only the basic neural impulse to control our comatose bodies. :rolleyes:
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Didnt some nerd make a crappy movie about that with Bruce Willis in it?
 
he probably just got his phd and think hes a genius with insight beyond that of the mortal man
 
...as long as this doesn't go too far and ban shows like Big Bang Theory for being too racist. Definitely one of my favorite shows as of late.

Seriously, I have no problem being labeled as such. After all, who is it people will run to when their computer doesn't work? Us!
 
I like when people call me a geek or nerd, its like they are saying 'hey, you are a guy who will make more money than me'
 
Hmmm

www.thinknagger.com anyone?

people have too much time on their hands if they are trying to get geek and nerd lumped in with everything else.

Words are words, you can call me every racist nasty dirty thing that exists and I'm smart enough to ignore them and go about my life.

I actually think it's a shame that peoples over-sensitivity and political correctness mean I have to avoid certian words just so they don't cry and try to kill themselves.
 
Is it psychology or philopsophy to think of these words as perfectly fine and that it's up to the context, the person using them if they're meant to harm or not? Or is it common sense?

What a nerdy geek.
 
I'm going to become a rapper and use the G*** and N*** words until they put an explicit lyrics symbol on the label.
 
It took me many years of very hard work to earn the title of Nerd. Geek took even more effort. All those years of reading sci-fi, watching sci-fi on tv, going to sci fi movies let alone fixing every person's computer that I know at one time or another.

Now, I am the proud owner of both the Nerd and Geek title and someone wants to take them away from me. WTF!!!!!!! Who do I sue over this???????????
 
If they're equating geek and nerd to racial epithets, I'll believe it when I see a "N***er Sqaud" car or Geek Squad gets sued over their name.
 
more uptight dummies


who cares what anyone says? Didn't this guys parents ever tell him the ole sticks and stones routine?
 
It's only derogatory to him because his students call him that and then laugh.
To anybody else, it's a compliment.

"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."
 
I received the following response from David:

Look. I'm trying to help out here. If you read the book, you will find a complex argument, based upon interviews with lots of kids (and since I'm a developmental psychologist, that's what I write about) about the development of stereotypes. I know that the nerd/geek stereotype describes some people more or less accurately, but I believe using these stereotypes does a lot more harm than good. Why? Because I talk to kids all the time who say they do not want to study math or science or do well in school because they do not want to be labeled as "nerds" or "geeks," because, to them, it is not cool to be one. I didn't invent these stereotypes nor did I invent the pejorative quality that accompanies them.

David Anderegg
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He has an OK point I guess, but I find it pretty invalid. Especially since geeky children grow up into grown men on enthusiast forums like us ;) We turned out fkn phenomenal, right? (no sarcasm intended, [H] fkn rocks!)
 
The air of intelligence implied in modern use of the words "geek" and "nerd" is now commonly accepted as more of a compliment than insult. Someone needs to call this guy and inform him the 90s are over.
 
I think the guy complaining gets his lunch money stolen by coworkers too much. Come on people lay off the whiny geek! Oops.

Personally I don't mind being called a nerd just because I'm good with electronics. It's not like I live my life in my room, I spend like 6-9 hours in there. Sleeping and... girlfriending...
 
This reminds me of something I read recently about the myth of "curse words:" If we don't like peoples thoughts or feelings, let's limit their ability to convey those thoughts or feelings! If we remove the words, the feelings or thoughts can't exist anymore! It's a bit like covering your ears and humming...

Terms only connotate negative ideas if the people that hear them think they do, people only use the words negatively when they want to. Obviously (per this thread) many don't.
 
cyprusxr3 said:
This reminds me of something I read recently about the myth of "curse words:" If we don't like peoples thoughts or feelings, let's limit their ability to convey those thoughts or feelings! If we remove the words, the feelings or thoughts can't exist anymore! It's a bit like covering your ears and humming...
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You've read 1984, haven't you? The ultimate goal of Newspeak was to make the process of "throughtcrime" impossible by removing all potential damaging words from people's vocabulary.
Terms only connotate negative ideas if the people that hear them think they do, people only use the words negatively when they want to. Obviously (per this thread) many don't.
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Sorry, had to. You mean "connote," right?

I consider myself somewhat nerdy- I'm tall, skinny, wear glasses, and am better at math/tech than at any other field, but I'm also athletic. I don't feel one way or the other about it. Now, when my soon-to-be girlfriend came up to me and said that she thought nerds were sexy, you better believe I wasn't going to argue. :)
 
Maybe they don't want to be called that because we've created a bunch of thin skinned wimps who care what other people call them. Maybe we should encourage our children to grow a back bone and stand up for themselves. Maybe we should bring back "Sticks and Stones" instead of encouraging our children to run crying to the nearest adult, "He called me a name!". It takes parents to raise a child, not a village. Sigh...... I fear what has happened to our children........

And I'm proud to call myself a Redneck Geek - I like guns, fast cars, things that go boom, and pound code for a living.
 
im called a geek all the time....never had a problem with it, heck even embrace it :) it makes me some cash from time to time because them non-geeks dont know much about this fancy thing called a computer :)
 
I think David Anderegg has this right....

Since when has nerd, geek, dork ever been used to compliment someone?

Why not use the term IT enthusiast??


I find it hilarious sometimes that some in World of warcraft would call others these terms in slander when they themselves play the game >->; so what does that make them?
 
This is kinda like tupac promoting the usage of "+++++" slang word as being a black mans cool reference to young thugs of sorts, when actually it's a slander for black people being promoted as a cool word for blacks to use amongst themselves.
 
Yeah well see how derogatory the words are when the hottie at the reception desk can't get on her myspace account. Yeah baby! Gonna put some tail on that geeky nerd!

But seriously, this guy needs to get over it. Those terms haven't been derogatory since the early 90's which was just about the time the last "Revenge of the Nerds" movie came out...
 
well... maybe after 400 years of oppression... but I don't see too many geeks being oppressed these days..
 
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