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NYT David Brooks The Alpha Geeks

nytimes.com — The future historians of the nerd ascendancy will likely note that the great empowerment phase began in the 1980s with the rise of Microsoft and the digital economy.

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  • davidmesaaz, on 05/23/2008, -0/+8I have always thought that Nerds lack social skills but Geeks have technical skills. Geeks are associated with a skill such as computer geek band geek internet geek. While Napoleon Dynamite is just a nerd. I know I know girls like guys with skills gosh!!!
  • fjdulles, on 05/23/2008, -0/+5That's a lot of build up for one medium quality punchline.
  • Indyanna, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3LOL - Thank you, Qong. I knew there had to be SOMETHING they could be doing. Now I know. :-D
  • Qong, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3Of course they existed! They did the same sort of things that do now, just through other mediums. They would be into science and discovery, maybe they would be an architect; that's what I always wanted to be when I was a kid.

    I have no idea what happens to them if they're born in the rain forest though, I'd assume that they would find new poisons for their darts by testing the slime from various frogs and plants though.
  • Indyanna, on 05/23/2008, -0/+3I've always wondered - where were the nerds and/or geeks in the days before computers, calculators, and slide rules? Did they exist? If so, what did they do? What happens if you're a nerd/geek, and you happen to be born in the middle of the Amazon rain forest?
  • fiveness, on 05/24/2008, -1/+1Intellectualism goes in and out of fashion. It's been "un-hip" for too long and George Bush was the inevitable and perfect conclusion. We have never needed the geek skill set more than right now. We have too many complicated and nuanced problems to solve than typical bureaucrats can accomplish. I for one...
  • inactive, on 05/23/2008, -1/+1Traditionally, a nerd is someone lacking social skills. A geek is an person who pursues frivolous skills. Often, the class geek intersects with the class nerd due to their devotion to a subject or skill and their exclusion of common interests such as bathing and nutrition. Before computers, most people identified as geeks had side show type skills and were often employed by circuses.

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