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Why do geeks look like geeks?
Suckafish
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I know there are exceptions to every rule, but why do the majority of geeky people (programmers, engineers, etc.) look like geeks? For example, take a look at:
http://www.usd.edu/csci/acm/contest/progcon97/progcon_awards.html
If this group of people were to get out more, exercise, and participate in sport, would they start to look less like the stereotypical geek and more like other human beings?
Do you think geeky appearance drives somebody towards geeky activities, or the activities transform their appearance?
http://www.usd.edu/csci/acm/contest/progcon97/progcon_awards.html
If this group of people were to get out more, exercise, and participate in sport, would they start to look less like the stereotypical geek and more like other human beings?
Do you think geeky appearance drives somebody towards geeky activities, or the activities transform their appearance?
Suckafish on
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Now, a geek doesn't pay as much attention to how s/he looks, because s/he considers other things to be more important. It also helps that the people who s/he cares about usually aren't bothered by how they look.
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1. As you said, geeky activities don't exactly lend themselves to physical fitness. Therefore, geeks are going to tend to be either skinny or overweight.
2. Those with a lack of natural physical proclivity tend to avoid physical activities (in the same way as natural atheletes tend toward athletic activity), so it's sort of a feedback loop.
3. There is a certain group expectation of appearance. Metalheads look like metalheads, jocks look like jocks, geeks look like geeks.
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I see people with short hair, long hair, glasses, no glasses, thin and weedy, tall and buff, well-fitting branded clothes, no-brand clothes...
now... excluding the children, like kusu and choco, who don't really have time or money to work on not being ugly. Like most of the grown folk here, really are not that hidious.
Click here for a horrible H/A thread with details.
I'd say that a lot of it is a self perpetuating cycle. The physically unfit are going to stay to activities where they can more easily excel, due to the lack of physical fitness these tend to be sedentary and thusly they stay unfit and don't participate in sport.
You find an overwhelming number of people who don’t fit the stereotype though. It’s like saying why are athletes so ripped?
I'm not criticizing the group, but you can't tell me that other than a couple of exceptions those kids stand out as being rather nerdy in appearance. I'm a programmer myself, and depending on the light would fit in amongst them, but it is still plain to me that as a whole they would never be confused with members of the school soccer team.
me? that's at me right?
Like, that's why I said childern. Most of them look pretty horible, and haven't figured out approprate dress or hair fasion.
Click here for a horrible H/A thread with details.
so you are asking the retarded question of "Why don't people who excel in [computer?] programming look like athletes"?
Actually it was at the OP. Give the kids three or four years to lose the baby fat/grow out the perm/get their braces off. Geesh, they're fourteen - just about when mother nature decrees that they are the ugliest they will ever be in their lives. I hang out with a lot of adult geeks and most of them are at least moderately attractive, and aside from being geeky, a lot of them participate in one or more sports or other athletic activities.
Oh wait, are those generalisations I just made absofuckinglutely retarded and based solely in absurd stereotypes? Well I guess that makes them as valid as yours.
Drunks Against Mad Mothers
I'm asking why do people that excel at computer programming tend to look more like the stereotypical geek than any other members of society. I work at a large computer technology firm, and 3/4 or more of my fellow employees could likely be pegged as working in the industry at first glance.
The social element is a big factor, as is self-motivation. I'm still a huge dork and I wear the badge with pride but when I tell people they don't go "Yeah, I know, don't talk to me." instead it's more like "Oh really? That's neat."
yeah, we don't get out much.
Click here for a horrible H/A thread with details.
Touched a sensitive spot, eh? So there is no truth to it then? I am in no way painting every member of the group with the same brush, but the stereotype does exist for a reason.
Oh, I lived on the honors floor of the residential program for sceince majors dorm in college. There were a few "true geeks" whose rooms smelled like feet and who holed up playing D&D with each other in all their spare time. But the vast majority of these people were pretty social, normal looking, who liked to all go to the movies or play sports or eat dinner or even go drinking together. Two or three of the guys played football in high school. Several of each gender were very attractive. Enough so that I had sex with one of the guys, anyway.
Drunks Against Mad Mothers
Absolutely, we can discuss that here too if you like, though I think the reason why the average jock is less book-smart than the average computer programmer is obvious. Again, I don't agree that all jocks are dumb, far from it, but I'm sure that kids that struggle in the classroom are more likely to strive to excel in sports.
Drunks Against Mad Mothers
or mabey a closeted frat brother.
Click here for a horrible H/A thread with details.
I am a Business Analyst and I do work with Programmers. None are as geeky as you describe. I was a programmer and I don't find any people in the pictures as nerdy as you make them out to be. They all look normal to me.
Hell compared to what your interpretations of what "Cool" people look like I rather hang around with those in the pics than your "Cool" people.
I learned how to dress nice from a frat brother that was out. But a jock might be of the mindset that its easy to get a girlfriend and then would actually try instead of giving up quickly. Its funny, but the geekiest kid in my frat got the hottest girls because he was always on and didn't think he'd ever fail. Fuck that guy and his 4.0
If faith is just a silent tribute, mine is just a desperate act.
Computer science major, and have worked three years full time as a programmer. The idea for this topic came to me when I was looking at a wall at work designated to some of the top achievers in the company.
I have to agree with what many people here said, that it mostly has to do with diet and activity level. I like what GoodOmens said too, that there may be a group expectation of appearance.
Um. No.
The average jock is of average intelligence...no dumber or smarter than most people. Or are you simply confusing intelligence for education? Jocks will tend to achieve educationally at least what society expects of its members or possibly more (assuming no other socioeconomic factors)...in other words, enough to pass school and function in the world. Since they don't enjoy scholastics, do you really think they should achieve more? Or would you expect instead they'd focus on what they enjoy?
I think a lot of geeks mistake not being able to achieve scholastically with not caring. Because geeks value education and scholastics more, they can't imagine forgoing them for sports if one had the ability, so they just assume the jock must have found it impossible. Geeks also, because they enjoy things that lean to the scholastic, tend to greatly overestimate the "average" level of intelligence and/or education.
People will do what is required of them, and beyond that they will do what they enjoy. Whether that's learning some C++ or working on their swing.
Also, all terms such as jock and geek should be assumed to have quotes around them by default. I just get annoyed by having to quote them each time. These fucking stereotypes and classifications can go beyond the stupid pretty quickly. Seriously, is it "trot out stupid high-school stereotypes day," or something? I missed the memo.
Do smart and pretty girls exist? Or are you ugly by default if you are smart?
Most of the ones I've met don't brag about thei IQs.
If faith is just a silent tribute, mine is just a desperate act.
Unless Gilmore girls lied to me, they exist.
Click here for a horrible H/A thread with details.
It obviously depends on whether the smart girl has let her hair down and taken off her glasses. Until then, ugly by default. Duh.
Yeah, I was thinking that too...but figured it went without saying.
Now that you've said it, I feel it's for the best that it was said. I mean, for 1997 I think some of those guys might actually be pretty stylish. Especially Texas in 1997.
Bad example I know, but I was in high school in '97 and the average guy in that link would not be considered stylish (before people ream me up the bum I wasn't stylish either)
mcdermott, to reply to your earlier post, yes I meant book-smart when I said intelliigence - my bad. I'm not sure if you think that all that differentiates the top scholastic achievers from the average kid is how much they care, but if that is your stance I strongly disagree.
Yeah, thats what I expected.
Without noteing the expected sarcasm, what is your point? To make them look cool? What will that do? Aside from similing that everyone is cool according to your own dictation of what cool is, there is not benefit for anyone to meet anyone elses expectations. If they want to look like geek, they feel happy and like the enviorment, what right do you have that they aren't cool?
I would much rather date the hair in a pony tail, glasses wearing girl that i can have a converstation with than the air head bombshell.
Seriously it seems your more geeky than anyone else.
Sorry I was quoting Suckafish rather than your question. Sorry about that.
Well, according to the Girls Next Door episode I watched last night, theres a third chance of getting a double major, a third chance at average intelligence and a third chance of being an idiot.
Also, suckonafish, maybe the reason your co-workers look like they work in the industry is because, and this may be a shock, they actually work in the industry. Now, if you wanted to know why your co-workers choose to look that way, you may have to actually ask them as I doubt we are your co-workers.
geeks look and act like geeks. jocks look and act like jocks.
ya know why? because they are.
I'm very much into technology and computer, but I'm not a geek. The reason is... people don't call me one. They don't call me one because I'm into other things as well, though none as much so. They don't call me that because I don't dress like a geek...
this entire thread is about whether people who fit stereotypes fit stereotypes. It's a ridiculous question.