I identify as a nerd and I know what I like without needing input from you guys.

But I am interested as to what you think greater nerdkind like. Because a lot of you seem to know what all muslims like, without being muslim, or what all gay people like, without being gay. So I'd like to know what all you non-nerds know that nerds like. I just want to see if it stacks up against my own experience and how much validity there is in stereotype and caricature.

Hi Toni,

You might not get many bites since very few of us on OLO are non-nerds :(

Joe

Dear Toni,

Ah, Bless Dr Seuss for the word nerd
in his book, "If I Ran The Zoo."

"And then, just to show them, I'll sail to Ka-Troo
And bring back an It-Kutch a Preep and a Proo
A Nerkle a Nerd and a Seersucker too!"

What do nerds like?

The ones I happen to know are really passionate
about stuff. They like things like fantasy and sci-fi
novels, role-playing games,
video games, comic books, non-mainstream music -
classical, progressive rock, techno. They're shy
and quirky and very knowledgeable about particular
subjects.

I like the definition given on the web :

Nerd - a four letter word with a six-figure income.

Perhaps you had better define nerd Toni.

I have always assumed, without any great thought, that a nerd was a person whose lack of coordination made them incompetent at physical activities & sports, so they gravitated to desk type activities, particularly computer use, since they were developed.

My idea may be a combination of nerd & geek, but my thoughts are,

A nerd would rather spend a day in a Paris art gallery, than a Solomon islands village.

A nerd would rather be driven than drive.

A nerd would be a lousy driver, incapable of concentrating on such activities,

A nerd would never race a car, jump a horse, fly a jet fighter, or sail a yacht around the world, as he would consider these dangerous activities.

How did I do? Did I come close, or am I completely off the track?

I want to know everything about everything, but have what I consider a Readers Digest mind, as interested in almost useless trivia as mathematical formula. I also have done all the activities mentioned above. Does that make me a nerd, geek, jock or just normal?

Continued.

Continued

I went to school with 2 brothers. One read Greek mythology under his desk during maths 2 honours classes, & still topped the class. He was then an honours graduate from Sydney Uni, in some math area. The other built a go kart out of a lawn mower, before go karts existed, but struggled to pass his intermediate, probably due to lack of interest.

The first, a nerd I think, struggled to make a living playing the Sydney town hall organ, & flogging self published cassettes of his music, the other made a lot of money with his engineering business. He is my idea of the opposite of a nerd.

Have I got it right?

Nerds like introspecting about why they are still virgins.