Nerd: Insult or Compliment?

Post » Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:24 am

Greetings,

As the title says I'm wondering if someone you know calls you a nerd do you take it as a compliment or insult? My girlfriend and I get into debates about this because she calls me a nerd whenever I post on forums talking about whatever MMO I'm talking about. Most of the time, I love browsing forums and reading different topics and seeing what others have to say. She doesn't get into this sort of stuff, but yet she was a role player in World of Warcraft. Which is something I just could not do. No offense, just don't have the patience for it.

Anyways, She knows I cannot wait for this and she's even going to be playing it. So far, we've yet to come to a conclusion of which faction to roll. Anyways.. How do you all take this?

So, whenever she brings it up. I just call her a role-player and she usually tells me to go to hell lol.

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Damian Parsons
 
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Post » Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:03 pm

Compliment.

Only in the anti-intellectual culture that is the mainstream United States could a word meaning: "a person slavishly dedicated to intellectual or academic pursuits" be considered an insult.

Luckily that seems to be changing (thanks in no small part to shows like the "Big Bang.")

EDIT:

Just a thought, might this fit better in community discussion? Since it isn't really about ESO.

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Devils Cheek
 
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Post » Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:52 am

Depends on the context, and tone of voice, but usually if coming from a friend it's meant in a non-harmful way (just a bit of a poke at you). Basically being a nerd is never a compliment, but they probably don't dislike you for it, probably just see your nerd qualities as a funny, idiosyncratic part of your personality.

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^_^
 
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Post » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:10 pm

Well I don't let the words of other hold power over me (as much as I can help it.) I try not to internalize other people's impressions of me and, while like every primate they impact me, my self esteem is my own.

So for me, being a nerd is always a compliment. Even if lobbed in anger/hate. I like fanasy, sci fi, video games, books, every subject in school, computers, ect. I also work every day to try and be a little bit smarter. I'd say that makes me a nerd and I'm not the least bit ashamed of it.

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Alba Casas
 
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