« We Don't Need No Stinking Topic | Main | They All Look Cooler Than Me »
February 25, 2004
All The Geeks That I Meet
I have a confession to make: I don't like hanging out with dorks. I've only become more acutely aware of this recently, and I'm not sure quite what to think about it. You know the types of people that I'm talking about: it could be said that they need more maturity, or perhaps that they are lacking some basic social graces, or maybe that they are big nerds. Regardless of the nomenclature, I've realized that I don't like socializing with these people.
My first reaction is to feel terrible. This is not a very healthy attitude, especially coming from a reformed dork (I do still use words like "nomenclature," after all). People are people, right? And we're all created equally, at least according to the Constitution of the United States (unless you are a fetus or a minority, in which case you may lose or gain special privileges, but that is beside the point), so I should be just as content hanging out with dorks as I would if I were hanging out with, say, Michael Jordon and Brad Pitt. Yet it would seem that this is not the case.
Is it my fault? It bothers me when people open their mouths and say things that are completely inappropriate, or act in ways that "normal" people would clearly find unacceptable. I think it bothers me even more when people are completely oblivious to the fact that they are behaving like social outcasts. Just because you are one doesn't mean that you should act like one. Yes, I can be a bit short-tempered and thin-skinned, but I still think it's more than that.
The most frightening thing occurs to me: am I so self-conscious that I am embarrassed to be seen, to be associated with these people? Clearly, this could not be the case. As I said, I'm a former dork, so I have little dignity remaining. Also, I am fairly self-confident. Aren't I? At least I think I am. Maybe. It's embarrassing for me to think that I could be embarrassed to be seen in public with a buffoon. This couldn't possibly be right. Could it?
I really have only one thing to say about that: "The Old Country Buffoons" would be an excellent name for a rock band.
Posted by Pat at February 25, 2004 05:53 AM
Comments
Define Dork?
Posted by: Matt at February 25, 2004 10:17 AM
#DEFINE GEEK "Matt Heerema"
#DEFINE DORK "Mike Biang"
#DEFINE WHIPPED "Paul Johnson"
Posted by: mike at February 25, 2004 10:51 AM
okay,
to be honest, we all are "dorks" or "geeks" at some point and we all have days in which we say socially inappropriate things.
I think this is where grace comes into play...
I can't begin to think of how many times the people around me have had to give me lots of grace, without that, I might not have any friends.
Posted by: naomi at February 25, 2004 11:30 AM
I am a dork and I don't like dorks.
I know where you are coming from. So much of time I really want to be seen with certain people and I avoid others for the same reason. I don't want to be a dork.
Posted by: Adam at February 25, 2004 12:15 PM
Do you realize if you're an engineering student you're paying LOTS of money to receive highly specialized "geek training".
Posted by: jones at February 25, 2004 03:04 PM
I think we should all be confident enough to be "geek-ie" more often.
It would make life more interesting maybe even more passionate? Maybe?
Posted by: Hof at February 25, 2004 08:43 PM
Amy,
I am currently setting the bar quite high in "amount of time spent acting like a nerd." And, admittedly, life is a lot more fun when you just don't care so much how you look... then again, some (including me) would say that I don't think nearly enough before I talk. Quite the predicament, I tell ya...
Posted by: Bart at February 25, 2004 10:32 PM
I dont think that I have any dork or geek in me. I am just an all-around cool guy. So if ya'll see me on campus please pretend that you don't know me, because I certainly won't acknowlege you.
Posted by: Dan at February 25, 2004 11:25 PM
Regarding being a dork, in the words of Eddie Vedder:
"If you hate something, don't you do it too?"
Posted by: Andrew at February 29, 2004 01:00 PM