Geeks, Nerds, Dorks, Freaks, and Dweebs Defined!
Geek:
Has a purpose.
Tech savvy. Geeks knew what the Internet was before it was cool.
Hackers fall into the realm; if they weren't
geeks, they wouldn't hack. Extensively knowledgeable in a
particular fandom, usually sci-fi: i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon
5, X-Files, and obscure sci-fi films and fandoms no one's even
heard of. (Note: See for non-visual primary
mediums.) Competent at video games.
Also band geeks.
(Would be nerds, but how aesthetically pleasing is "band nerd?")
*A/N: I hate to break it to you, anime freaks: you qualify as geeks if you are considered an expert in your chosen fandom.*
Nerd:
Has a purpose.
Somewhat tech-savvy, but prefers the good old calculator to a Pentium
4 1.5 Gig desktop. Prefers the written word to the visual
stimulation, and prefers such fantasy realms, i.e. Tolkien, Moon,
Weber, Drake, etc. Often participates in role-playing games. Skill
with math or other technical subject often accompanies, whether
genius level or not.
Dork:
Has no purpose
whatsoever; offers no marketable services as geeks (technical) and
nerds (mathematical, written) do. Looks funny, acts strange, not to
be confused with
Freak:
Shock value. Weird
for the sake of weird. High-strung artsy types can be considered
freaks, as can most rock and roll stars. Smart, sometimes with closet
addictions to science-fiction and/or role-playing.
Dweeb:
Retro-dork. Has no
purpose. Looks funny, acts strange. For the most part, dorks past
their prime, sometimes still living with parents at age forty-five.
Not to be confused with super geeks.
Super Geek:
Has a purpose, but
chooses not to market services. Living in parent's basement with
computer rivaling the ones keeping the space program running.
Hacking, playing video games, and living. Can
also be Bill Gates.
Super Nerd:
College/University-level
English, Lit, Math and/or Physics professors.
Obviously, these definitions apply to Generation X and EchoBoomers (Generation Y); baby boomers, for instance, have system notably different. Keep in mind that in this day of information and ambiguity, crossovers aren't unusual. It it not odd, then, to find a nerd with geek technical skills, or a freak with geek tendencies.
I'm a geek with the nerd's love of books. What are you?