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Geeks, Nerds, Dorks, and Dweebs
By Jake Hixon

I'm a Geek. I say that often, and I say that with pride. However I often find that people don't understand why I'm a Geek. They'll say that I don't look like a Geek, or I don't seem all that geeky, and they wonder how I'm a Geek. The problem is that most people don't know what a Geek is, most people use words like Geek or Nerd interchangeably, and never understand the difference. Thus I've decided to educate you all on the proper definitions of these terms, as well as the differences between them. Below you'll find Descriptions of Nerds, Geeks, Dorks, and Dweebs so that in the future you should have no trouble diffenciating between them... unless of course you're a Dimwit or a Dufus.


Note that in this article when I say something is geeky it doesn't mean it relates only to Geeks. I'm using this word to describe things that that are not considered Mainstream or "cool". The best definition would be any interest that, when spoke of by a young man, will serve to repel the majority of "The Ladies". For example being in a Rock Band will attract ladies, and is thus not geeky, however being in a Marching Band will drive the ladies away and is thus geeky. I feel that this word can be used interchangeably with Nerdy, Dorky, or Dweeby, so I felt it best to use only one throughout the article to preserve continuity.

1. The Geek

Since I'm a Geek, I think that's a good place to start. Geeks are often the most difficult to spot. They enjoy geeky things, but they are able to understand that most people do not. This understanding allows the Geek to blend in to society, so that that non-geeks often may not realize that they are Geeks. Geeks look like normal people, they understand the styles and trends of the normal world and dress accordingly. The Geek is also able to speak with normal people without making it obvious that he is a Geek. For example, when a Geek enters a conversation about professional football, even if he doesn't like or know much about football he won't try to steer the conversation towards Ghost in the Shell. Of course there are different levels of Geek. Low level Geeks enjoy geeky things somewhat, but also enjoy the mainstream and are thus completely undetectable. High level Geeks adore geeky things almost exclusively and have difficulty contributing to conversations about normal things, and are thus easier to detect. A skilled Geek will pay attention to subjects that he has no interest in to help him be able to blend. For example, I hate baseball but am able to talk about it for long periods of time without looking suspicious. Geeks are only easy to spot when they outnumber non-geeks and have similar geeky interests. When this occurs their conversation will naturally shift towards the geeky and they become easy to spot.

2. The Nerd

The Nerd is in many ways an amplified Geek, although there are some differences as well. Unlike the Geek, who understands that the general populace doesn't enjoy things geeky, the Nerd believes that geeky thing are the best and that those that don't like them do so because they don't understand them. Thus Nerds feel that it is their mission to help the world to understand the geeky things they love. When a Nerd finds a conversation that is not to their liking they quickly attempt to change the subject with a segue to what they feel is a proper subject. For example, when faced with a conversation about pro football, the Nerd will mention that Spiderman would be a great running back, since his spider sense would allow him to avoid tackles. Nerds have no understanding of trends or style because these things are not important to them, thus they are easily spotted even before they speak. Unlike the Geek, there are no levels of Nerd, once the Nerd barrier has been crossed the Nerd will become progressively more nerdy for the rest of his life, unless something manages to pull him back.

The greatest difference between Geeks and Nerds occurs when they get together. When a group of Geeks get together they enjoy conversations about whatever geeky topic they get on. However when Nerds get together they become extremely competitive. Having shunned society to live the life of a Nerd, the Nerd believes that he must be the best, and smartest of all Nerds. Thus when Nerds get together the conversation becomes a contest, with each battling to be the greatest Nerd. First, each will attempt to steer the topic conversation towards a subject that they are confident in by bad mouthing topics in which they are not well versed. For example if a math Nerd meets an Anime Nerd he will quickly attempt to prove that Anime is a waste of time if you don't speak Japanese, because most of the story is lost in the translation. Each will take turns putting down various subjects while attempting to counter attacks against their strong topics until one of the Nerds manages to successfully defend a topic or a topic is found in which both Nerds are confident. Once the subject has been reached each Nerd takes turns bringing up some obscure point that they have figured out, trying to show that he knows much more, and is thus smarter than the other Nerd. This can go on for hours, and is truly one of the most horrible thing you can ever watch, especially when the subject turn out to be Math, or Physics. Whatever the subject, some of the points are accurate, most are BS, but all are said with the utmost confidence and will be defended to the death. The worst part of the whole thing is that it's not argumentative, it sounds like a standard conversation between friends. In fact in most cases the Nerds involved have no Idea there 's a competition, but there is, and they'll play to win even if they don't know they're playing.

Nerds generally get along well with Geek who have similar interests. The Nerd will attempt to start a Nerdly competition, but Geeks normally won't compete and the Nerd feels he is the winner. On the other hand Nerd have a hard time getting along with those who are socially adept, and as they progress deeper into Nerdom this gets worse. Thus in later stages of Nerdom the Nerd becomes militant towards persons who display even a modest grasp of social function.

3. The Dork

The Dork is very different from the Nerd and the Geek. The Dork looks like a normal person, he may even look like a cool guy. He understands what's in style, and knows how to look pretty cool. The Dork isn't into geeky things, he likes the same things that normal people like. The fact is the Dork should be a cool guy, but he's not. The Dork want's to be a normal guy, and he tries his best to be popular, unfortunately he usually tries way to hard. He does everything he can to be as hip as possible, he's up on the latest trends, he wears the latest fashions, he listens to the most popular music, but in the end it only makes him look like a Dork. He's the guy with no taste of his own, instead adopting the taste of the masses. He tries to ad something to the conversation, but it's never anything new.

The Dork is really the saddest specimen because he really wants to be liked, and for that matter you want really want to like him, but you just can't. The harder the Dork tries the more he gets on you nerves. The harder he tries to be funny, the less funny he becomes, and the harder he tries to be cool the more Dorky he is. I've known a few Dorks in my time, and I've tried my hardest to be their friend, but it's just so hard to do.

4. The Dweeb

Rarest of these 4 types is the Dweeb. The Dweeb is a very strange specimen who looks like a complete Nerd, but if you actually speak to him you suddenly realize he 's extremely cool. They like normal things, they have better than average social skills, they're generally wonderful to be around but for some unknown reason they just don't care what they look like. For example a Dweeb will be an awesome guy, who for some reason wears his hair slicked back like a 1950's vampire and a Bowtie. The problem is once you meet the guy he's so cool you don't have the heart to tell him that the way he dresses, or his haircut is dumb , although even if you did he wouldn't care. When you hang out with them people wonder why you're hanging out with the Nerd, and the may avoid you so they won't have to be stuck in a Nerd Conversation. But the Dweeb is much better than the Dork because while he's somewhat of an outcast socially, he doesn't care, in fact he's the one who make it that way. I love Dweebs, Dweebs are the best. Dweebs give you a reason to talk to Nerds, because sometimes the guy that looks like a Nerd could be a Dweeb, and when you find a Dweeb it's worth talking to a couple of Nerds.

And there you have it, I hope this helps you to better understand the difference between these type of people. And next time you hear a couple of guys discussing the merits of Chrono Trigger, you can have a look and a listen and think to yourself, "are those guys Nerds or Geeks"?

Differences Between Geeks and Nerds


10) GEEKS snicker and blush at dirty jokes;
NERDS laugh uncontrollably for hours.

9) GEEKS will fit only in full size gym lockers;
NERDS fit in all gym lockers.

8: GEEKS wear bowling shoes as their regular shoes;
NERDS wear bowling shoes with plaid shorts.

7) GEEKS occasionly get lucky and get to pass their phone number to someone at a bar;
NERDS will only pass their URL at a bar.

6) GEEKS get a perfect score on the SAT;
NERDS write the damn SAT.

5) GEEKS see "Urkel" as their hero;
NERDS watch all of the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies(Yes, even Revenge #5) for their inspiration.

4) GEEKS socialize with DWEEBS;
NERDS socialize with DORKS

3) GEEKS will snort when they laugh;
NERDS will snort but add a very high pitched nasal wheezeto their performance.

2) GEEKS set their phasers on stun;
NERDS set theirs on Kill cause you never know when those nasty Klingons may appear.

1) Isn't it obvious...GEEKS read Top 10 lists;
NERDS write Top 10 Lists.

Your Guide to Geek Heirarchy
Written by: Derek Brown

Once again my considerable talents have steered me away from the "popular" topic to write about and towards another that impacts your life and checkbook far less. I realized yesterday in one of my profound flashes of insight that very few people can differentiate between geeks, nerds, dorks, and the rest of our unshowered, D&D playing brethren. Quite frankly, I find it disgusting that I didn't find a single result for "geeks, nerds, dorks, and the rest of our unshowered, D&D playing brethren" when I searched Google. Therefore, to remedy this gross injustice, I'm writing this article which will no doubt be stolen and published on the internet within minutes of the paper hitting the stands.

I seemed to have wandered away from the original point of this piece, and this is because there are shiny objects in my room which distract me. There is a profound difference between geeks and nerds, first of all. In fact, there is a well-established hierarchy that I just came up with a few minutes ago. Nerds are the greatest of our kind, possessing intelligence far superior to mere mortals and the ability to meld into normal society as well.
Geeks fall slightly below, without the ability to join normal society, but having a general intelligence equal to nerds, with specialized intelligence ranging higher. By foul sorcery, someone once polarized a geek to take advantage of this highly specialized intelligence and created a fanboy, for
which the creator was summarily murdered while trying to explain to his creation why Tom Bombadil is a minor character in Lord of the Rings. This remains the only reason that genetic engineers have reservations about mixing human genes in the laboratory. No one wants the stigma of being the person who didn't learn from the fanboy mistake.

Dorks fall even lower in the heirarchy, possessing the specialized intelligence of geeks, but much less of the general intelligence. Dorks are unable to mix in regular society, even with a cloak of invisibility. Freaks are dorks who have yet to see the light of day and the water of shower. A freak
may need to set his watch on a window sill to let it recharge because he hasn't been outside for several days. Flamers are 12 year old fanboys with an internet connection.

The complete heirarchy, right there in front of you. Use this information for the greater good of mankind, and for the $800 question in the Double Jeopardy category "Society". Here's hoping it's a Daily Double.

ok, ill admit, i didnt read your theory the whole way threw, so i may just be reposting your idea in my words, idk. But this is how me and my friend worked out the whole complex and their differences
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Nerd- the top of the chain. Super smart, shrt tucked into your pants, game programer type of thing
Geek- a lesser version of Nerd, smart, but not Bill Gates, like's nerdy things ex. video games, anime....
Dork- Not very smart, but a geek, likes nerdy things too, or just acts plain weird
Dweeb- wasn't actually a part of my original plan, but i suppose, a younger dork, cuase i call my little sister a dweeb... xd

The difference is the way they're spelt. 3nodding

I would say that a nerd is more a-bit-of-everything, while a geek is more specialized

Here are my definitions:

Nerd - A person who places value on knowledge and is intellectual. Not necesarily unattractive, but often disliked by more shallow individuals. Characterized by use of proper grammar, love of reading, and dislike of popular people and mainstream music.

Geek - A person who is obsessed with, or at least very enthusiastic about, one or more of a multitude of "geeky" subjects, including, but not limited to, D&D, arcade games, MMORPGs, video games, anime, computers, electronics, Star Trek, Star Wars, and aliens. Not necesarily unattractive naturally, but generally appears to be due to lack of either fashion sense or interest in appearance. Characterized by awkwardness in social situations with non-geeks, a tendency to constantly converse about their "geeky" subject of choice to everyone (even those who do not share an interest in said subject), and mild-to-severe cosplaying in non-convention-or-festival settings.

Dork - A person who is socially inept. This could be due to any of a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, poor hygeine, lack of tact, bad jokes, overly-political comments, laughing at one's own jokes that no one seems to find funny, horrible fashion sense, or just plain shyness. Generally unattractive. Characterized by those things mentioned above.

I'd say on the Geek-Nerd-Dork scale, I veer towards nerd with a little bit of geekiness

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i always saw nerds as being the smart ones not geeks