# Are Cubers Nerds?



## Dene (Sep 18, 2008)

I was thinking about this today. How nerdy are we, as a cubing community? I personally am open to admit that I'm a huge nerd. What do you guys think?


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## StachuK1992 (Sep 18, 2008)

no...geeks...
If you do Rubik's cubes on an hourly basis or memorize Pi...you're a geek...not a nerd


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## Lotsofsloths (Sep 18, 2008)

haha I go online and talk to the community way more than I actually cube.


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## edwardtimliu (Sep 18, 2008)

nerds=smart me=dumb but i still get sub 17 averages


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## Frawsty (Sep 18, 2008)

When start speedcubing at school, people call me a nerd or geek.


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## slncuber21 (Sep 18, 2008)

i dont think we are nerds, geeks yes.
nerds are smart and study everything for even the littlest of quizzes and such, me on the other hand- i have only studied for two tests and im a freshman.


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## mati rubik (Sep 18, 2008)

I play guitar in a metal band, so I'm rock's

we aren't nerds, we have a hobbie, nerds doesn't


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## DavidWoner (Sep 18, 2008)

first i should establish my feelings about the word nerd. Its perfectly alright to call yourself a nerd, or for your friends to call you a nerd. but if people who throw out the word nerd before they even know people are not okay with me.

I don't think that i am a nerd for cubing, because i also do a lot of things that are not nerdy. I dont know, people who know will say that i am a nerd for cubing but my friends do not. i don't think that theres anything wrong with being a nerd, but i do have a problem with labeling people before you get to know them. For some reason, most non-cubers will stereotype cubers based on a single hobby, and nothing pisses me off more than being stereotyped.

Theres nothing wrong with cubing a few hours a day. if you go to a sports practice for a few hours each day, are you automatically a jock? if you watch TV for 2 hours a day are you a couch potato? If you eat more than 5000 calories a day are you automatically fat(Michael Phelps eats 14000 calories a day, would you call him fat?)? the answer to all these questions is no.

*in summation: no, cubing does not make you nerdy*. a lot of cubers may be nerds, but the cubing is just one among many things that makes them nerdy.


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## shelley (Sep 18, 2008)

There are varying definitions of nerd/geek. Cubers come from all walks of life, but in general, we tend to be geekier than most. You kind of have to be to have the kind of dedication to pursue a rather esoteric hobby to the extent that we have.


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## fanwuq (Sep 18, 2008)

WTF2L is a nerd?

I have no clue. All I know is that I do not fit in with the so called nerds at my school. They hate cubes. They like trivia (I hate pointless facts )

So we are nothing alike. 
I'm just that random person who has super fast fingers. People are just amazed and think you don't have a life, you aren't human (you are god, machine, genius, octopus, ninja, etc.) I also walk really fast (not rushing to next class, just for fun of possibly crashing into someone and making them fall), especially while OHing, so that helps with creating fear and awe among the students.


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## badmephisto (Sep 18, 2008)

the terms have different meanings to people i find. for me being a geek or nerd is almost like a compliment. Geek is the guy who fixes your stuff. he is the guy who knows what others dont  Nerd is the guy who pursues intellectual activities that others cant. I dont see anything wrong here


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## kratos94 (Sep 18, 2008)

Lol well said Vault i completely agree with you... At my school everyone who sees me cubing is like whoa do you spend your life on that? usually because they thinks its extremely complicated and its amazing that i do it as fast as i do. But yeah ive gotten called a nerd a lot and just shrug it off, mainly because i know that they are just saying that because most people fear people who are better than them at even one small thing.


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## DavidWoner (Sep 18, 2008)

shelley said:


> You kind of have to be to have the kind of dedication to pursue a rather esoteric hobby to the extent that we have.



thats not exactly true. there are lots of esoteric hobbies that would not make you a nerd. to list a few:


Break Dancing
Free running
Expert beat-boxing
Professional Dart throwing
i will thing of more later, other people feel free to add some of your own.

So what so all of these things have in common with cubing? They all require a great deal of skill and practice, and way less than 1% of the population is good at them.

what you are describing is a sort of obsessive determination.



badmephisto said:


> the terms have different meanings to people i find. for me being a geek or nerd is almost like a compliment. Geek is the guy who fixes your stuff. he is the guy who knows what others dont  Nerd is the guy who pursues intellectual activities that others cant. I dont see anything wrong here



whats wrong is the person's intention when they call you a nerd/geek. they are labeling you based on a single characteristic, which i find only slightly better than racism.
its okay to call yourself a nerd, and proclaim it proudly, but it is not okay for someone to say it with hurtful intentions.


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## waffle=ijm (Sep 18, 2008)

The rubik's cube community isn't nerdy at all. In fact we have our own subset within society as cubers. We are neither geeks or nerds, jocks or outcasts, or anything. We are cubers just like sports people like sports, nerds and geeks like doing everything else sports people fail at. We're cubers because we cube. We can be a sports success or a nerd and still be able to cube. This is why we can't go into a category. We don't fit in into any category except as cubers because we have mixed traits. 

Cubers cube.


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## Dene (Sep 18, 2008)

There's a difference between a "geek" and a "nerd"? I wonder which one I would fit better.


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## ConnorCuber (Sep 18, 2008)

Well to be honest, I would like too to be called a geek or a nerd, cause in the long run, who makes the most money?


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## envy253 (Sep 18, 2008)

cubing is a nerdy trait, but it doesnt make YOU a nerd. to be a nerd you have to have lots of nerdy traits. i only have 1 (cubing) which is balanced out by non nerdy stuff so i wouldnt call myself a nerd. if cubing is ALL you do, then yes youre a nerd (sorry)


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## qqwref (Sep 18, 2008)

Cubing neither makes someone a nerd or not a nerd. Cubing itself has a more nerdy subculture (the kind of people who are really into cube patterns or math ) and a more jocky subculture. But there is nothing wrong with being nerdy in general (liking math/science, being into computers, enjoying puzzles, reading a lot, trying in school, etc.) and if you not only enjoy but are good at nerdy things you definitely have something to be proud of. If you want to argue this with me I'll be happy to point out all the things I think are wrong with the cool/jock lifestyle, and the small number of people who can get good jobs off that alone...


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## ExoCorsair (Sep 18, 2008)

Nerds have academic criteria they need to meet.

Cubing is a geeky activity.


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## TimMc (Sep 18, 2008)

Geek/Nerd <-- interchangeable considering they're constantly being misused

I don't think we're particularly Geeky or Nerdy 

Get with the new-age 

Hopefully Geek and Nerd labels will become a thing of the 80s x.x

Tim.


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## F.P. (Sep 18, 2008)

Before we discuss about nerds and geeks, we should have a definition (of the two words) which everyone accepts.


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## DAE_JA_VOO (Sep 18, 2008)

I guess we could be defined as nerds/geeks, but who the hell cares anyway.

I'm at a point in my life where i seriously couldn't care less how other people classify me. 

Want to call me a nerd? Okay cool, go for it. 

Want to call me a geek? Good stuff, go for it.

I really couldn't care any less. I'm living my life the way I want to, and if that means i need to be called a nerd/geek, so be it, i'm loving it.


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## Dene (Sep 18, 2008)

I don't think a definition of nerd/geek is really possible. It is something that is socially manipulated to fit those of the day, and the culture surrounding it.
But this discussion has gone off what I was looking for. The original point of this thread was to see if people that cube, are also "nerdy" at the other things they do in life. I wasn't asking "does cubing make you a nerd?", I was saying "are you a nerd when not cubing?" (which I'm not surprised was badly interpreted, I have serious writing problems (now you all know why I struggle with essays (and you now also all know that I do in fact struggle with essays)))

This question I think is more interesting, as branding a cuber as a nerd is all good and well, but as said is just a social construct. It is of more interest to see what sort of people are inclined towards cubing: nerds, or anyone?

Of course, we can ignore the "insult" behind being called a nerd (as I say, I'm proud of it!) and instead just be realistic; we all have a general idea for what a "nerd" is in modern (generally western) society.


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## DAE_JA_VOO (Sep 18, 2008)

Dene said:


> The original point of this thread was to see if people that cube, are also "nerdy" at the other things they do in life. I wasn't asking "does cubing make you a nerd?", I was saying "are you a nerd when not cubing?"



Ooooooh.

Well, i am, to an extent, but at the same time, i'm not at all.

I am, because i love computers, and i'm studying Cisco (Incredibly advanced networking).

At the same time though, i'm not a nerd/geek. I've been skateboarding for 9 years, and i attend lots of "rock shows".

So i'm like a hybrid


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## Escher (Sep 18, 2008)

I reckon im neither really, just an obsessive. Ive done it with guitar, computers, poi, tetris, cubes... and probably juggling soon. it does mean i get good quickly tho  i think after UK open im going to cool it down a little, and expand from 3x3 and 2x2. 

...

okay, im a nerd.


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## MTGjumper (Sep 18, 2008)

Meh, in one sense, the fact that I'm intelligent, good at cubing and often mock myself about me "obsession" with maths, I don't fit the nerd/geek stereotype. I'm extroverted and proficient at sports; these two traits have helped prevent bullying, because I can "fit in". Not that I try to, that is =P


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## hawkmp4 (Sep 19, 2008)

I'm very smart, I teach myself calculus for fun, I find quantum mechanics fascinating, but I have a girlfriend and a thrash metal band that plays out (well, kinda fell apart, but used to). I'm the kind of guy who people immediately label stoner (maybe correctly, maybe not  ) and then are completely amazed because I'm one of the smartest people they've met. So I'm just an oddball.


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## Vulosity (Sep 19, 2008)

I got called a nerd today at school because I brought Dan Harris's book to school.


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## Andreaillest (Sep 19, 2008)

If getting good grades and cubing makes me a "nerd" then so be it. However, I do not dress or act like a "nerd." I love to dance to hip hop as well as listening to it. I play guitar(not very well) and I have friends that I go out on weekends with. I just happen to love cubing and it relaxes me. I don't think you or me are "nerds" at all. Just people with a hobby.


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## fanwuq (Sep 19, 2008)

People at first when they see me might say "nerd" if I didn't cube. If I did cube, they would be amazed by fast fingers, 2x2 BLD, etc. If they aren't at first, they definitely will after a few minutes. If they get to know me, they would have no way to classify me. Unlike "nerds" I hate music and reading books, get better grades than them without ever studying, never follow school rules and still never get into trouble, and general have no emotions. I'm really not sure how do I live my life this way, it's a mystery. People most of the time just say I'm not human. I sometimes agree too.

Cubing is not a nerdy trait at all. People see me cube, and all sorts of random people want learn too.


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## Dene (Sep 19, 2008)

fanwuq said:


> get better grades than them without ever studying, never follow school rules and still never get into trouble, and general have no emotions. I'm really not sure how do I live my life this way, it's a mystery. People most of the time just say I'm not human. I sometimes agree too.



This sounds like me!


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## scottp45 (Sep 22, 2008)

I am somewhat of a very dynamic hybrid. I have the traits of an athletic person, a geek, a nerd, and a little OCD rolled into one .

Nerd traits: I do very well in school, care a lot about my grades, and love to teach myself stuff. I know a hell of a lot more about computers than the IT professional at my school. Im not the most popular kid though.

Geek traits: I cube, I read scientific books, I juggle, play guitar hero, and like to build stuff (I'm currently building a cubing table out of wood and incorporating computer parts to make it look cool. Im embedding my stackmat timer right into it, as making the stack mat itself roll on and off at the push of a button .

Athletic traits: good long distance runner, used to play hockey, Im an insane skier, and currenty into disc-golfing.

OCD: I am obsessed with anything I do, see my sig .

Preety wierd huh.


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## ConnorCuber (Sep 22, 2008)

fanwuq said:


> People at first when they see me might say "nerd" if I didn't cube. If I did cube, they would be amazed by fast fingers, 2x2 BLD, etc. If they aren't at first, they definitely will after a few minutes. If they get to know me, they would have no way to classify me. Unlike "nerds" I hate music and reading books, get better grades than them without ever studying, never follow school rules and still never get into trouble, and general have no emotions. I'm really not sure how do I live my life this way, it's a mystery. People most of the time just say I'm not human. I sometimes agree too.
> 
> Cubing is not a nerdy trait at all. People see me cube, and all sorts of random people want learn too.


That sounds just like me, and I am also often called unhuman, for various different reasons, some most likely the same as you.


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## Ryan13 (Sep 22, 2008)

Vulosity said:


> I got called a nerd today at school because I brought Dan Harris's book to school.



Haha, I had the same thing happen to me.


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## choipster (Oct 20, 2008)

I honestly think most cubers are not nerdy or geeky. But personally, I'm very geeky and slightly nerdy.


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## Erik (Oct 20, 2008)

Some cubers are... some aren't, but it depends on your definition and how much value you put to it. I don't put any value at all to it.
If people call me a nerd just for cubing (in the context of: no life) I don't care. At least I know more about them then they know about me after they said that...


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## brunson (Oct 21, 2008)

No way, man! I'm cool. I'm super cool. I'm Superfly TNT, I'm the Guns of Navarone!

Awww, who am I kidding? I'm a geek. My wife tells me regularly.


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## hawkmp4 (Oct 21, 2008)

People see me cubing. They call me a nerd. They see I play in a metal band, they say that's sick. Then I tell them its progressive/technical thrash. Then they think I'm a nerd again.
What gives?
Hah.
Does it really matter?


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## Hadley4000 (Oct 21, 2008)

A lot of cubers to be nerds. But it is not because of the cubing.


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## toast (Oct 21, 2008)

I'm not a nerd, I'm just slightly smart, and very, very eccentric.

(well maybe a nerd..)


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## darkzelkova (Oct 21, 2008)

Well. Besides cubing, I'm good at math (terrible at science though, horrible course. Hate chemistry SO much), I never study (terrible, I'm screw for university xD), I play the guitar, I've got an athletic build, but the other sport I really play is badminton, I pen spin (modding pens is awesome), I program in multiple languages and am good with computers, I watch tons of anime, I read tons of manga, I have anime/manga posters in my room and attend Otafest annually, I'm in the debate club (it's so fun ), and I read a lot of books. But nobody ever calls me a nerd xD. I guess I just don't really show it, I dunno. I make a lot of [terrible] jokes at school too. I really have no idea what I am. I'm just screwed up I guess.


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## finalfantasy2012 (Oct 21, 2008)

Personally, the difference between nerd and geek are irrelevant. But I am a nerd! I average 100% on my Algebra 2 tests, no studying needed, I'm a sophmore with a bunch of juniors in my class and some others somphmores. Everybody except for my best friend who averages 95% asks me for help. I have a 3.75 yes the .05 matters . I'm a nerd because my grades REALLY MATTER! I'm a nerd because I use words like irrevelant on a daily base. I'm a nerd because I truly enjoy classical music. Lastly, nobody really causes me nerd, it's pro-claimed. When people see me cube at school they call me/ or say "You have mad skills.", "You're a badass.", "You need a life." sort of nerd comment, and "Wow". Usually people are just amazed. I love learning. Oh and I'm in AFJROTC which makes me a nerd, a different kind of nerd, but still in the end a nerd. Finally, I'm not a nerd because I suck at history (one of my fav. subjects). Um that's about it.


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## qazefth (Jan 27, 2009)

I dont any of us speedcuebers geek or nerd. Look guys, we can solve the cubes in under 20 sec ( well not me, im not even a speedcuber yet, trying to be one, fastest 1:07:43 lol.) or even under 10. We are cooooool people. Maybe one of the cooolest people around the world. Heres and example, try meet someone maybe the coolest person around there, and give the person an unsolve cube. Can the person actually solve it. Maybe and maybe not. 

So YOU ALL ARE COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!


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## bamman1108 (Jan 27, 2009)

Trust me. We're not nerds. In fact, pretty much all my friends cube. It's getting popular at my school.

I know a truly nerdy kid. Nerdy enough that he gets PISSED when anyone is wrong when they answer a question out loud. He will interrupt a teacher or student when they are talking to make a completely pointless point about what we talk about. I brought my megaminx to school, and he screams at the top of his lungs, "OMG!!! A Rubik's dodecaherdron?!?!?!?" and then asked what logorithms I needed to solve it (yes, I mean logorithms). He is constantly made fun of everyday, and he doesn't understand why.

I personally don't hate the kid, but I just don't want to be friends with him, and I'm one of those people that can't say "**** off," so he thinks I'm his best friend. I really do feel sorry for him though.

That's as extreme as it gets. Cubing makes you geekIER or nerdiER, but doesn't make you either. Geekiness/nerdiness is more of a personality triat than anything else, and most people couldn't care less nowadays. So, we are all at least a liitle geeky, but who cares? If cubing makes you happy, others people opinions shouldn't matter.


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## EmersonHerrmann (Jan 27, 2009)

Pff, I don't care about grades...I mean, I try to keep them to at least a B or above, but I'm mostly carefree since my parents don't get all over me about keeping straight A's. I know some people who have parents that get on them if they get a B, which I think is controlling and stupid 

Back on topic, some cubers are nerds, some jocks, some geeks, some another stereotype that I have never heard of.

I cube basically everywhere I go. I just joined a gym so I'm gonna start pumping iron  I have a bulky build so I think "Why not get bulkier?", since some people probably will call cubing nerdy or geek-ish, I just would like to have a threatening mien  Sorry i keep going off-topic...cubing is a geek-ish hobby I guess, but not all cubers are nerds.


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## Sir E Brum (Jan 27, 2009)

i would say geeks. though nerd and geek seem to be on the same level of awesomeness (from my perspective). I am a huge nerd and geek if that is possible.


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## minsarker (Jan 27, 2009)

Lol I probably come on as a nerd on paper (GPA/SAT/Courses/Cube/etc)

But once someone talks to me you can tell I am completely normal. I cube in school, and even in classes sometimes and before november, no one in my school cubed, now there are like 5-6 regular cubers who are actually completely normal people.

But I also do lots of other stuff. I play varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse along with indoor soccer, rec basketball, and tons of other stuff.

So really, the cubing doesnt make one a nerd, the other stuff do.


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## daniel0731ex (Jan 27, 2009)

OMG! i just realized that im a super mega NERD!

OTZ


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## d4m4s74 (Jan 27, 2009)

I'm a geek, but that's just because I'm a geek, not because I'm a cuber


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## Spyyder (Jan 27, 2009)

I'm not a nerd because I cube. I cube because I'm a slightly obsessive geek. Whenever I stumble upon something that I find fun and challenging I usually end up trying to pursue it as a hobby if time/bank account allows me to. 

currently I cube, yo-yo, play quake 3/Street Fighter 3 competitively, fly R/C Helicopters, Minesweeper, Fit freak(strong man/bodybuilder style), Programming, Bowling.

Geek is just who I am.


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## d4m4s74 (Jan 27, 2009)

I forgot to add, I'm also a sideshow geek (removes 7" nail from nose)


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## kaixax555 (Jan 27, 2009)

Ok in my opinion cubers are not nerds.
If we are people will not be awed by our speed of solving it. (Ok even if you take longer to solve people will still be awed).

People call you nerd because they are jealous of you being able to solve it when they themselves can't.
They want to solve but they have no courage to ask you to teach them.

Also they call you nerd because they hate you. (Not really hate, but just, they do not really like you).

Overall, they just want to solve it to impress others.


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## (X) (Jan 27, 2009)

Cubing is one of the many things I do to try to be more nerdy, I'm in a math class with people that are one year older than me, I got a highscore on Icy Tower of more than 50k http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=Icy+Tower+Download+Free , but I don't actually do things to be more nerdy I do it because it's fun, I just turned out to be a nerd, and it's who I am and I am proud of it, 

If you are a nerd be proud of it


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## Yes We Can! (Jan 27, 2009)

Frawsty said:


> When start speedcubing at school, people call me a nerd or geek.



yes, me too... so stupid -.-


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## JTW2007 (Jan 27, 2009)

Some cubers are nerds and some nerds are cubers, but not all cubers are nerds and not all nerds are cubers.


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## jcuber (Jan 28, 2009)

envy253 said:


> cubing is a nerdy trait, but it doesnt make YOU a nerd. to be a nerd you have to have lots of nerdy traits. i only have 1 (cubing) which is balanced out by non nerdy stuff so i wouldnt call myself a nerd. *if cubing is ALL you do, then yes youre a nerd* (sorry)



Oh no.......


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## GaroMaster1337 (Jan 28, 2009)

Cubing itself doesn't make you a nerd. I am a nerd, albeit an athletic nerd, but I am a nerd and will always be a nerd at heart. I love working on computers, like in terminal and cmd, gaming (im a glitcher), and studying theoretical physics.

Nerds rule this world, all the non-nerds just don't know it.


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## zeroxorxdiexskater (Jan 28, 2009)

people at my school were impressed at my cubes and wanted to see more! i actually became far more popular and got many friends.
although i wasnt "geeky" or "nerdy" to start with, i have been skateboarding since i was real little so when people saw me cubing they were surprised but liked it, i got people into it, who got people into it, who got people into it, etc.
anyway cubing is very popular in my school but 90% of them only have 3x3's


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## enigmahack (Jan 28, 2009)

Being a nerd/geek is usually interpreted as being socially inept while strong with studies/intellect. 

Think about someone who is super cool in social situations and is good with the women - considered a nerd? Probably not. Maybe they have 'nerdy interests' but that's about as far as it goes. 

Then you have the polar opposite end of the spectrum where you can have people that don't really seem to be good at anything and are complete nerds. 

All perspective. 

That being said, I have 6 computer servers running in my closet, I have more operating systems than I do underwear, I can also solve the 3x3 in under 20 seconds, I work for one of the biggest leading technical companies in the North America *Supporting their Server software*, I play Chess, Computer games, programmer in a few languages, I get excited when a chick shows me her motherboard... yet I'm still comfortable in social situations and my friends don't see me as a nerd. They see me as "smart"

*shrugs*

I guess it's all about perspective


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## KubeKid73 (Jan 28, 2009)

Okay. I just saw this thread, so I'm responding the the second post. Read here. http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-the-Difference-Between-Nerds-and-Geeks Its nerd, not geek. I am a huge nerd. Lol. But according to that, I'm only a half nerd or something. Because I don't have problems socializing. Not really.


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## Paul Wagner (Jan 28, 2009)

I'm not a nerd in my opinion my friends think it's impressive I think cubing is not nerdy unless it takes over your life. I am stereo-typed as a ghetto skater but cubing is more appealing to nerds i guess.


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## Ethan Rosen (Jan 28, 2009)

Paul Wagner said:


> I'm not a nerd in my opinion my friends think it's impressive I think cubing is not nerdy unless it takes over your life. I am stereo-typed as a *ghetto skater* but cubing is more appealing to nerds i guess.



I lol'd


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## daniel0731ex (Jan 28, 2009)

BTW, is Verdes a Greek?


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## Deleted member 2864 (Jan 28, 2009)

I don't mind being called a nerd or a geek because that just means that the person calling me that is jealous of my skill to decode a plastic toy =) Society will often think that you must be a nerd/geek to be able to cube. Not true. I play sports and so do other people that cube. We also do what many people would call "normal." I'm not offended by this when they call me those things. The thing I despise is when they stereo-type me when the real reason they do that is because they desperately want to learn the skill themselves.

Besides, everybody has a unique talent. And we as a community share one.


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