Monthly Archives: September 2012

How geeky are you: the geek code and the geek test
Anthropology, Definitions of Geek, Study of geek culture

How geeky are you: the geek code and the geek test

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I discussed in my previous post about geeks and nerds that I would rely on people’s self-identification as one or the other to consider them as such and include them, their hobby or interest in the study of geek culture on this blog. I will continue, however, to pay attention to the many definitions people attribute to these terms. It is fascinating to see how people create mechanisms to determine empirically determine one’s geekiness or nerdiness. Two of these mechanisms were part of my recommendations for week-end fun last Friday: the Geek Code and the Geek Test. Did you check them out? I did, and here is a summary of my experience building my very own geek code and taking the test.

Geeks and Nerds: a terminological debate
Anthropology, Definitions of Geek, Study of geek culture

Geeks and Nerds: a terminological debate

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As I mentioned in my first post, I consider geek culture to be that of “comic book fans, sci-fi and fantasy fans, science and robotics addicts, gamers, dungeons and dragons players and the more recent steam punk enthusiasts” and, generally speaking, what you can find at a Comiccon. I also specified, however, that this definition was my own and could by no means be considered absolute. There are many reasons for that to be the case.

Geeks and nerds: some representations
Anthropology, Definitions of Geek, Online communities, Study of geek culture

Geeks and nerds: some representations

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As I mentioned in my first post, it is essential to define words such as “geek“, “geek culture” or “nerd” before I proceed in this enterprise of the anthropological study of geek culture and online communities. So in the following few weeks I will be posting research material I use to build clearer definitions of these concepts as well as the definitions themselves. The first concepts we will be exploring is those of ”geek’, and ”nerds” as they are central to the project that underlines this blog. In addition, there is an ongoing debate on the deep meaning of these words and, more importantly, on whether there is actually any difference between the two. Some of the most interesting images I found so far on the topic are on this pinterest board. Enjoy!