How to Be a Nerd

Know the difference between a nerd, a geek, and a dork. There may be significant overlap between the three, but if anyone would care about the subtle distinctions, it would be a nerd.

• A nerd is thought to be a highly intelligent person who has a singular passion about an academic pursuit. They tend to be either socially inept or asocial.
• A geek is thought to be an individual who is always interested in a niche activity or subject, but who is not necessarily academically inclined nor as asocial as the nerd.
• A dork is thought to be slightly sillier and not at all asocial, but perhaps not interested in a niche or academic pursuit.

Be singular. In other words, act the only way you know how, in a way all your own. Nerds are renowned for being weird because they are, each in their own way, quite unique. Live your life like it's entirely your own, like you are the master of your own ship. By just being yourself and embracing your own eccentricities, you're already being weird. If you're looking for inspiration, read about some famous nerds in history. Here are three short vignettes of people, considered "nerds," who did entirely what they wanted:

• Isaac Newton is a great example. He made many discoveries including the reflector telescope, differential and integral calculus, Laws of Motion and Gravitation, and colors of light. He was usually busy with his research work. He didn't talk much, and only slept about three hours a night. (He probably should have seen a doctor about that.)
• Katherine Johnson worked for NASA as a "human computer." Her calculations were so accurate that she was asked to double-check the work of the actual computers.^[1] She co-authored 26 scientific papers.
• Alan Turing is another famous nerd. Half-hero, half-scapegoat, Turing is credited with helping to crack the Nazi Enigma codes at the end of World War II, as well as playing an instrumental role in developing the first computers of the 20th century.^[2] Despite his achievements, he was later prosecuted by the British government for having a boyfriend and was forced to take estrogen injections to "neutralize his libido."^[3] Turing died of suicide not long after the trial.

Find a subject or subjects that you can immerse yourself in. It doesn't need to be science-related, although researchers are finding that increasingly numbers of autistic individuals (who often qualify as nerdy) are drawn to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM majors).^[4] Learn as much as you can about the subjects you are interested in, and safeguard that knowledge so that you can use it effectively later on.

Question, constantly. Many nerds are defined by their ability — some say habit — to question the information they receive until they are satisfied about its authenticity or understand the logic behind it. To be a nerd, you must be on an insatiable quest for knowledge. To be on an insatiable quest for knowledge, you must constantly question the quality, source, and utility of information you receive.

• Don't trust information just because it comes from an authority figure. Nerds understand that figures of authority can sometimes get away with misleading or falsified information simply because of their power. Be willing to fact-check, especially if something seems off or too convenient.
• Get to the root of things. A nerd will understand a question inside and out. A nerd will not rely on memorized information, but rather on understanding a concept. If a nerd asks the question "Why is the sky blue?" and is given the answer, "Because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light,"^[5] her next question will inevitably be: "Why do molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light?" they will continue the line of questioning until the answer relates to something they already understand completely.

Examine the details. The devil may be in the details, but that doesn't mean you can't embrace them. (That was Vladimir Nabokov's advice to his students.^[6] ) The nerd may prefer concrete details over generalizing statements because details can be cross-checked by reality more easily than generalities can. The nerd cares more about being right than appearing smart, so he grabs onto details as a way of investigating reality.

• Many nerds gravitate towards sci, tech, eng, math, i.e.: STEM majors: STEMs deal plainly in facts and systems observable in nature, whereas many other more subjective disciplines lack the objective, fact-checking component.
• Other nerds prefer more theoretical fields, such as abstract fields or the humanities. These also have room for analysis and discussion.

Go toward the gray areas. No, this is not an obscure fashion directive; it's a way of thinking. Nerds tend to see gray areas where others see black and white. This is because nerds are good at examining pros and cons, comparison and contrasts, theses and rebuttals. They devalue their own opinion and focus on the "quantifiable" facts. Sometimes, this leaves them looking like occupational vacillators, constantly seesawing back and forth between "sides" of an argument (arguing with themselves, it may seem). In fact, they are gathering information and waiting for pre-aligned, set "opinion" (conclusion) to hit them with the force of facts, instead of forming an opinion (hypothesis) that one begins justifying by supporting facts.

• While some areas are black and white (e.g. questions of basic science or respecting human rights), many areas aren't so simple. There may be exceptions, nuances, and qualifications. Look for those and see what you can learn from them.
• There are several scientific/philosophical theories that nerds who love the gray area reference. It might be helpful to get familiar with just a few of them:
  • Thomas Kuhn's paradigm shifts: Periods of "normal science" are interrupted by periods of "revolutionary science," called paradigm shifts that are relentlessly discussed and expounded (defined, diagrammed, flow-charted, mapped, extrapolated, spanning and forming a new amalgam, a new reality...). For STEMs adherents paradigm shifts are entirely new, focuses of scientific thinking and concentration.^[7]
  • Kurt Gödel's incompleteness: It's impossible to establish consistency and completeness inside formal logical systems. In other words, all consistent axiomatic formulations of number theory include propositions/assumptions that are undecidable (fundamental elements of math include the undefined point, line, plain and space which are nonetheless bases to define large fields of mathematics).^[8]

Ask the experts. If you know someone who is experienced in a certain field, ask them what they know. Pose questions, listen closely to their answers, and speak up if you don't understand yet, or if you disagree with them.

• Remember, knowledge can come from surprising sources! Everyone is good at something. Practice intellectual humility and approach each person as if they have something new to teach you.
• If you disagree with an expert, do so with respect and humility. It's possible they've heard your statement many times before and can tell you exactly how wrong it is.

Lose the ideas of genius and talent. Being intelligent doesn't mean knowing everything; it means knowing things and being eager to learn more. Get comfortable with asking questions and being wrong. The quest for knowledge includes wrong turns and realizing that you don't know. Focus less on "What do I know?" and more on "What can I learn?"