Dictionary.com describes a geek as -

A person regarded as foolish, inept, or clumsy.

A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

or

A carnival performer whose show consists of bizarre acts, such as biting the head off a live chicken.

I added the latter definition because I like it. Certainly, the second definition is more or less what most people would associate with their use of the word.

Many people have their own definition of 'geek'. In my opinion, it's the result of a number of traits which are easily identifiable in people all being associated with the word at some point, and over time people have decided in their own minds what trait or traits they prefer to associate with it. As a consequence, we have people who class a geek as someone who is unpopular at school or in the workplace; others who think of it as an unattractive person who typically wears glasses; a socially inept person; someone who spends most of their time on a computer; someone who likes computers; someone who is interested in something technical, obsessively or otherwise.

There are countless flavours of definitions of the word in modern society, and so my own definition of a person who actively enjoys learning about and working with anything technical is like a drop in the ocean. More importantly, however, is that my definition is in no way meant to be disparaging.

As a matter of fact, by my own definition, I am a geek. I don't dislike myself in any way because of this, and I'm not in any way pejorative of people who are not like myself. I don't often refer to myself as a geek, and despite being a member of geekSoc, which exists primarily for educational purposes, I am not the classic definition of 'geek' personified, where I have a one-track mind, having no real interest in anything other than technical entities and concepts.

What I despise is not the different views that people have regarding the meaning of the word, but the inherent desire that most people have to class people in this way. I could be terribly wrong, but I feel this act is usually a precursor to developing a feeling of superiority over another.

'Geek' is a generally derogatory term. When I call myself a geek, it is most likely to be self-deprecating humour on my part. Or it may be more analogous to a homosexual man calling himself "a queer", or someone of african descent calling themselves a "nigger".

When someone calls a person a 'geek', as with 'queer' or 'nigger', it is usually if not always a disparaging remark. Why do people do this? Focussing only on my own definition of 'geek', why is being like me a bad thing? I could possibly be called a geek for different reasons, most of them unwarranted and untrue, but to be called one for being interested in technology is utterly ignorant.

I'm sad to say that I think we live in one of the most narrow-minded societies there are. I don't say this through relativistic knowledge of other countries' societies, but through an absolute knowledge of how some people think in the west of Scotland. In other words, surely it couldn't be much worse?

Perhaps I'm wrong on that. It is true that no matter where you go in the world, people will be stupid. They will wrongly judge people on ridiculous things. But how can anyone criticise or mock a person for wanting to learn, and having an active interest in something? Is it because it isn't hip, or masculine enough, or feminine enough?