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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Are you a closet nerd or a flag-waving nerd?
by Josh Rose 
Sep 1st 2010 at 8:00AM
We all know about the idea of the overweight, basement-dwelling virgin, the idea that gamers and comic book nerds all look like the comic book guy from The Simpsons. Many of us know that is not the case. You even see people in trade chat calling each other "nerds" and "virgins," although the inevitable response of calling someone else a nerd in WoW is laughable. In my guild alone, we have a lawyer, an author and a chef, along with many happily married people with children. Some are openly proud of their nerdiness; some try to argue they aren't nerds over Vent.
My girlfriend hides her geek from a lot of her friends. She watches anime, is a gamer and even dresses up for our local comic book convention, but many of her friends and work associates have no idea about this side of her. Me, on the other hand -- I let the geek flag fly. I wear my gamer T-shirts. I talk openly about WoW and other games with my friends. I still complain about the fact Firefly never got a second season.
It seems that being a nerd has become less of a stigma than previously, but some people still fear letting others know they are gamers. Many of us are proud of our gaming and science fiction fandom, and some of us are closet nerds. Which are you? Does playing WoW and other video games make you a nerd? Is that a bad thing? Are you proud to be a nerd, or do you rebel against the label? Is your WoW habit something you hide?
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 12)
RussGreene Sep 1st 2010 8:06AM
I wouldn't say that simply playing WoW makes you a nerd. Running around Durotar autoattacking on a level 1 orc warrior does not bequeath nerdiness. Really, nerdosity is a by-product of dedication and passion. Nerds are the ones who actually care and dedicate time and effort into their hobbies and their interests. So when that orc warrior starts doing some research, starts noticing things about the world that they like or dislike, and begins to care about the development of his class, the game he plays, and the world he plays in, then (perhaps) he's a nerd.
QQing on the forums is a one-way ticket to nerddom, though.
V Magius Sep 1st 2010 9:24AM
The odd thing, and this can really throw people who don't think about it, is that the difference between the jock and the nerd is social acceptance.
Knowing the stats of the sword that drops off the raid boss? Nerd
Knowing the stats of the quarterback when he was a senior in high school 10 years ago? OK
I think The Onion had an article about it. A scifi nerd and a sports nerd talking down about each other and their encyclopedic knowledge of useless facts.
Ricohardt Sep 1st 2010 9:28AM
I'm not gonna argue whether or not playing WoW automatically makes you a nerd, but people are geeks and deny it are bad people. Why hide, if you are ashamed to let people know what you like or don't maybe you need to look inwardly for a reason why.
Garlok Sep 1st 2010 4:13PM
V Magius, I have to admit I am a bit of both types of nerd. I have a tendency to talk about useless sports trivia, WoW, Dr. Who, etc. Hell, I wrote a paper in a Sports Commerce paper discussing the mount system in WoW as an example of how to motivate people in sports organizations. I agree that there is not much substantive difference between the sports nerd and any other type of nerd. It all comes down to perspective. If you have a passion about something follow that passion. Don't cow-tow to what you think people are going to think of you.
bitssy Sep 1st 2010 8:06AM
I'm a nerd, I talk about wow at work, discuss stratagies with others, use vent constantly-and am not ashamed to let others know about my nerdiness!
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 8:11AM
I'm NOT a Nerd,I never talk about WoW with freinds and stuff,I play casually and don't raid alot.
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 8:16AM
I Forgot to add that I don't watch anime,I don't go to comic books conventions(cause I don't read comics and I'm not a nerd),I don't live in the basement,and I don't fear to tell people I'm a gamer.
I'm just a casual WoW Player who reads this site for the news.
Krishaa-ah-an Sep 1st 2010 8:26AM
I dont get it... Are you a nerd or not?
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 8:34AM
I'm not a nerd.And why did you gray me?!:P
skreeran Sep 1st 2010 8:38AM
Someone's in denial.
It's like when you hear people say "I'm totally not gay! I totally don't like all that gay stuff at all. Don't worry about me, man, I'm totally into chicks and stuff. 100% red meat eating straight man. Not gay."
Methinks Hodir doth protest too much.
Resident Horrible Sep 1st 2010 8:45AM
Anybody who comments on wow.com is a nerd. This is a(n awesome) news website revolving around an online game. I don't care how little you play, what you do and don't do irl; if you are so enthralled with WoW that you need to know everything thats going on at all time, you're a nerd.
BTW, the question isn't "Are you a nerd?", it is "Are you a closet nerd or a flag-waving nerd?" The fact that you're reading the article in the first place establishes your nerdiness.
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 8:51AM
sigh...
Natsumi Sep 1st 2010 9:09AM
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. ;)
edersons Sep 1st 2010 9:11AM
Sorry, but i kinda have to agree with Watcher Hodir.
Dont get me wrong, i am a nerd. But also i am a lot of other things.
I belive the point Watcher Hodir want to make is that you dont instantly become a nerd just because you play a game, be it wow, or be it crosswords.
Also, you all should consider "nerd" is a concept of teenagers at the 90's.
At that time, if you knew how to expertly use a computer, you were a nerd.
Today, if you dont know how to expertly use a computer, you are unqualified.
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 9:16AM
Finally someone who got my point.
Just because I play WoW or comment here,doesn't make me a nerd.
eddiespspmail Sep 1st 2010 9:30AM
Not a nerd? And yet your username is Watcher Hodir. Nope, your right... not a nerd! sorry for the mistake.
ithalaine Sep 1st 2010 9:41AM
eddie this site is about wow it makes sense for your name to be about wow
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 10:30AM
Eddie,this nickname is a mistake,you see I first thought like ithalaine,that WoW site need a WoW name,but immediatly after creating this I wanted to change,and I found out you can't change it.
But I don't care,it's just a nickname.
lockanon Sep 1st 2010 10:36AM
The nerd in me would like to point out that Hodir is a keeper. Not a watcher. Unless I'm mistaken.
Maybe my nerd is wrong.
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 10:46AM
I don't know what he is(Well I know he is a boss in ulduar,but other than that nothing),I just thought it a cool(no pun intended) name which is related to WoW.Cause back then when I opened this account Ulduar was the top-tier raid.