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The latest patch 5.4 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?
Have you ever wanted to write for WoW.com? Your chance may be right around the corner. Watch for our next call for submissions, and be sure to sign up for Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. The next byline you see here may be yours!Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 12)
Samutz Sep 1st 2010 11:03AM
@Watcher Hodir:
I'd just like to point out your own commenting history:
You want to read a WoW book for the lore:
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/21/cover-art-for-the-shattering-prelude-to-cataclysm/comments/29454857/
You want to make machinima:
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/20/wow-moviewatch-the-fall-of-the-lich-king-by-onix/comments/27290061/
You bought (or planned to buy) the sparkle pony:
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/15/poll-selling-the-celestial-steed-is/comments/27166204/
Like it or not, you are at least a WoW nerd. The first two alone show that you don't "just play the game".
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 11:17AM
That wasn't me who posted it...I mean its from my account but its not me...
Kurash Sep 1st 2010 11:33AM
You seem to think that "nerd" automatically means something bad. I don't think it does.
I play guitar and sing in a rock band. I used to sail on 120-foot wooden ships where I would be one of the guys climbing 90 feet up in the air to handle the square sails. I'm a high school history teacher. I've done all kinds of fun stuff.
And I'm a nerd. Nerdiness just means that you're enthusiastic about something. I live by the saying that "If you can't nerd out about something then you need to find a hobby."
Watcher Hodir Sep 1st 2010 11:48AM
I Never said being a nerd is bad,I just said I'm not a nerd.
And I dunno how did someone post that from my own account...Cause I don't know anything about lore or making a machinima.
Only the Sparkle Pony was me,I love the looks of it,and I got the money to spend it on,so I bought it...
Joeb Sep 1st 2010 8:10AM
I think there are multiple levels are "nerdom". I don't look like a stereotypical nerd or dress like one. I also do not possess the crazy intellect that comes with the title nerd. I was in the Marine Corps, I'm married, generally eat healthy, and workout tons. Generally, those qualifications don't go hand in hand with your stereotypical nerd.
Maybe I'm part nerd...
Natsumi Sep 1st 2010 9:07AM
Ooooo so many fun things I could say! :D I'll just go with "You're not a Nerd in the Closet, you're a Nerd in a Jar" :D
For those of you confused, Marines are typically referred to as Jarheads by the rest of the military (likely due to that ridiculous haircut ;) ).
thpthpthp Sep 1st 2010 3:22PM
Your just Nerdcurious =]
Eternalmagic Sep 1st 2010 8:11AM
I'm a closet nerd. I slip in comments into everyday conversation like "Aggro" when a teacher starts picking on someone. It causes people to look and wander if I'm high or not :p
Oh and also, I vehemently deny playing WoW if the 'cool kids' ask.
Sharalack Sep 1st 2010 8:13AM
I'm selective, there are certain people you know who have these preconceptions of this stereotype and I keep it from them, however, most of my friends aren't like that so I'm open about it to them and will take the mickey out of myself for it and generally take comments about it in good humour. Really just depends who you're with.
Vogie Sep 1st 2010 9:00AM
Yeah, it all depends on your environment. I recently moved from central Florida to Central Mississippi so my wife could go to grad school.
In Florida, a level of nerdiness was required. If you don't know how to use a computer, you were the outcast. People who never would describe themselves as nerds would attend the LAN parties that my friends & I would put on, because we would have a section of the building dedicated to console games. There, if you're playing any game - WoW, City of Heroes, Modern Warfare, Eve Online, Gears of War or Second Life - you're "normal". With the number of coffeehouses and restaurants with hotspots, you'll see it everywhere... Talking about games is up there with what you did last summer.
Here in Mississippi, it's different. I work at a call center, and people stare at me questioningly when I pull out my laptop during my lunchbreak to get the frosties on my Tank... not because I'm playing games, but because I'm opting to get on the computer *again* during my break. Heck, there's so little technologically going on here that I work alongside people with degrees in Computer Engineering and the like. It's kinda sad.
Outis Sep 1st 2010 9:09AM
I guess i'm a closet nerd too.I wouldn't go that far and deny that I play WoW or that I like comics and stuff, but you won't hear me talking about that :P. Sometimes I wear gamer T-shirts too, but very few people in my town would get the message so everything is ok xD
bui Sep 1st 2010 8:12AM
I let my nerd flag fly. I mean theres really not much I can do to hide it even if I wanted to. I have been a gamer since I was 8 years old trying to get the infinite lives off that turtle in Super Mario Bros. world 3-1. If you don't know what I'm talking about go try it, its funny to have your number of lives be something like castle star instead of a number. I am also a network admin...So not only do I spend a lot of my free time in front of a computer or TV but thats also how I make my living. I enjoy my games and talking about them and I enjoy my scfi and my comics, and its what I find entertaining in life and since I'm a relatively big dude in both size and muscle mass I got to avoid being called a nerd most of my life except by my friends, who were also nerds. So to me its not even a big deal in fact today I take it as a compliment cause it has brought me a good life.
Thecomedian Sep 1st 2010 8:15AM
Damn now you have me watching firefly again.
Grimmal Sep 1st 2010 12:05PM
I just watched Firefly + Serenity again last week. I doubt you'll mind the goodness that is it.
Newchron Sep 1st 2010 1:06PM
Yep. Just watched the first episode again on Netflix. Mal's still the coolest space cowboy ever!
Neyssa Sep 1st 2010 8:13AM
I am a nerd girl and proud of it :)
Jamie Sep 1st 2010 8:23AM
pix nao or it didn't happen! :p
Tri Sep 1st 2010 8:28AM
I'm a nerd girl too.. I don't flag it much at work (kind of need to be a professional.. and gaming isn't really that relevant in my job..), but outside of work im not really trying to hide it.
My workmates are impressed when I know how to turn on a computer and use google.. I guess I shouldn't tell them i also built my own computer from scratch... ;)
Neyssa Sep 1st 2010 9:05AM
My comment vanished, well, it was long anyways.
I grew up around computers, my mom being a computer repair technician (nice, huh? She is almost 60 :). My boss was also very surprised when I repaired his notebook, its not a typical knowledge for an architect girl :) I dont talk about WoW in the office since no one knows what the hell that is, and dont wear WoW stuff because of dress code. But outside work, I like to talk about it with my friends.
I dont know if its nerdy, because it has nothing to do with computers, but my boyfriend and I make a roleplaying - fantasy-medieval kingdom camp for kids during summers. We are players and NPC-s as well, so I dress up as orc/elf/warrior/dragon, whatever the story wishes. I even go around the city in full plate to advertise the camp, and my facebook image is also me in full plate. Is that nerdy enough? :)
edersons Sep 1st 2010 9:15AM
Neyssa...that camp activity you mentioned...
Its just awesome. I bow to you.