Geeks of the world rejoice! May 25 is the annual celebration of everything geeky under the sun. It’s the Geek Pride Day. As the name suggests, it’s a day to take pride and to promote geek culture. The day was first observed in Spain in 2006 started by a blogger named Senor Buego who has literally and figuratively written the book on geek culture. The day May 25 was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Douglas Adams the author of the geek favourite Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. And the US soon followed suit in 2008. On this momentous occasion, let’s address a common query – are you a geek or a nerd? Both terms are used interchangeably these days. Both the words conjure up the same image in our minds. A bespectacled know-it-all who may not be a natty dresser. But there’s a world of difference between the two. A geek and a nerd are as distinct as chalk and cheese.

Who is a Geek?

A geek is a person who has in-depth knowledge about a niche topic. They are enthusiasts, collectors or aficionados who could talk endlessly about their favourite subject. Game of Thrones Prequel: Title, Cast, Plot – Everything You Should Know About the Upcoming Fantasy Drama ‘Blood Moon.'

A geek may be a part of popular cultural movement, who have a fixation with everything that is cool or “in” at the moment. Star Wars Day: 11 Memorable Quotes From the Original Trilogy That Every SW Geek Should Know by Heart!

Geeks are full of trivia gathered from the internet, especially Wikipedia, books, etc.

They may be bursting with trivia that they have gathered from the internet, (especially through Wikipedia), films, books, etc.

There are different types of geeks. Followers of Star Trek, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Avengers series belong to a category. They obsessively follow these shows/movies, and have a photographic memory of every frame.

Stuart is a geek while Sheldon is a nerd. (Photo Credits: Hotstar stills Big Bang Theory)

Comic book geeks are avid readers and collectors, who would give an arm and a leg for a rare poster of their favourite superhero.

It should be noted that geeks are outgoing in nature and won’t bolt at the prospect of socialising. They may also have an interest in performance arts such as cosplay where they dress up as comic book heroes.

They may date regular people who may or may not have an interest in geek culture.

Geeks are fans of their subjects and not practitioners.

Who is a Nerd?

A nerd is an intellectual whose interest in a topic is academic in nature. Nerds are knowledgable, like geeks. But unlike geeks, nerds are not interested in trivia but interested in pursuits that require skill and intelligence.

A nerd may not following popular culture and wouldn’t bother with following trends or staying up to speed with their geeky counterparts.

Nerds’ expertise in a subject is more in-depth and skill based. They may not talk about it endlessly unless they are asked. And even then, they may find it difficult to articulate their thoughts.

That’s because nerds are more introverted and socially awkward. Socialising doesn’t come easily to them.

Most of them marry nerds like them because they find each other more relatable and don’t feel bogged down by the need to socialise.

In Conclusion…

Geeks and nerds may have several overlapping features. They are passionate about their subject and may come across as weird to other people. But they are quite different. Geeks behave like fans and nerds are practitioners or executors. Stuart Bloom from Big Bang Theory is a geek and Sheldon Cooper is a nerd. Similarly, Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons is a geek while Professor Frink is a nerd. But bear in mind that some nerds may be geeks too.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2019 12:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).