What exactly is the difference between a geek, nerd, dork, or a spaz?

I tend to see them as the same. Except for the spaz. I see that as someone who freaks out, or spazzes, over anything.

I think I’m in them all on that note.

There was an interesting discussion here:
http://www.fluther.com/disc/5163/whats-the-difference-between-a-nerd-a-geek-and-a-dork/

Oh no! I should have looked!
I wonder if it would be narcissistic for me to give him a ‘great question.’

Geeks tend to be engineering types, well in to computers and gadgets and take great offence at being called needs as they believe they rank higher on the social ladder because “they know stuff about cool stuff”.
Nerds are booksmart on any topic they choose to, but don’t know much if practical application since that would require them to do something other than study.
Dorks are socially ungraceful and therefor often not accepted.
Spaz is a clown or accident-proned.

Personally, I’d have to say I’m either a dork or a spaz because I just don’t have the dedication of geek or nerd…

@wildF- I love it.

I agree with randy and I hafta say that being a geek or nerd isn’t bad. I consider myself one because I love certain topics/subjects and I’m not afraid to express myself. My boyfriend calls me a dork when he thinks I’m being cute:)

@wildflower: I always thought of geeks as being more into sci-fi, gadgets, gaming and the like. Whereas nerds were more of the engineers and scientists, genuinely smart. The social awkwardness comes with the territory, but for geeks it’s mainly just Aspberger’s.

I find myself in the former.

@shockvalue
The engineers I’m most exposed to are those in electronics; computers and such, so I think we’re talking about the same thing. The nerds are deco the highly educated, booksmart types that spend more time theorizing than experimenting (it could be dangerous!) – also excellently portrayed in the movie by the same name :)

They’re all derogatory terms. I don’t appreciate being called any of them.

Well dork can also be a whale penis.

@cwilbur: I’m a geek, and I carry the title with pride.

Anything can be a derogatory term depending on how it is used.

@shockvalue: More power to you, if you want to reclaim a derogatory word.

When was the last time you bit off the head of a chicken while experiencing delirium tremens?

Haha. To be honest, I’m a vegetarian and currently under the legal drinking age as encouraged by the United States government through the “Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984.”

Perhaps I should choose an alternative title to bestow upon myself?

I’d rather be: dork (but not the whale penis way), then spaz, then nerd, then geek.
In that order.