That’s what happens when you let a comic geek make a cartoon about geeks.
Steve in MIsays
PZ, you’re just saying that because the Lab Geek holding the suspect material isn’t smiling. Aren’t unexpected results the proverbial font of innovative thought?
Yeah, the lab geek definitely looks like a chemist (although I wonder how much time chemists actually spend holding test tubes these days; my chem-geek nephew uses beakers).
But, PZ, you’re a college prof. Doesn’t that make you an Indy geek? You know, the kind of take-no-prisoners professors whose mild-mannered lectures can’t conceal the derring-do of his extracurricular activities? I mean, all of us college profs are admired and envied by virtually everyone. Right? (Or have I been sadly mistaken all these years?)
Any taxonomy geeks out there will probably have issues with this one.
I used to be a lab geek, now I’m just a geek.
Whalehuggersays
I don’t see one for Pulps geek. True, the Conspiracy Geek looks like the Shadow, but stilll, no pulp geeks? We’re a small group, but very much into the pursuit of geekiness. And what about a Writer geek for that matter? So many geeks missed and other geeks that shouldn’t be in there…
pokesays
I mocked my idea up using my lackluster MS Paint skills and total lack of knowledge of the biology of anything larger than a cell:
I did my best to give him a look of gratification at being inked.
octopodsays
No geology geek? How sad! Indy Geek and Engineer Geek have kinda the right feel, but really not quite.
And no zoology geek either, for that matter… needs to be a Gussie Fink-Nottle type character. Although poke’s looks pretty good for that. Needs mud up to the knees and a lizard on its head.
Ever hung out with climbers? Pretty geeky folks, if you ask me.
I’m ashamed that I only meet 11 geeks on the list.
And where is the Beer Geek? A travesty!
MyaRsays
Any taxonomy geeks out there will probably have issues with this one.
Yes, yes we do. My categorization senses are offended, not least of all, as pointed out above, by the lack of female geeks.
Onkel Bobsays
Outdoor Geek? We’re called gear heads… Besides you need 4 tents, one for winter, (A-frame with two exits and a pole on on the ridgeline) one for the campground, (big – heavy – very opaque for campground activities) one for the solo trail hike, (light, mesh upper half) and another for the extended trip (light, but with vestibule fly, and room for two people). Mind you, I rarely use them as I prefer the bivvy sack and mosquito net. Of course 3 stoves, (butane, white gas, and multi-fuel) are also necessary.
Now mind you, if I get selected for the Silk Road expeditions/excavations, I’ll be ready for living on the steppes for 3 months!!
The Geek Code – even after over a decade since the last revision – specifies geekiness more accurately than attempts at geek taxonomy that have come since. I aspire to e++++ and h++ (or even h*). The Geek Code is quite narrowly academic, while more modern versions have pulled away from academia and towards more computer-oriented/lifestyle definitions.
Geek Code revisions now would include adding an OS X category and updating the sci-fi section to include Firefly/Serenity. Not to mention adding MMORPGing. And cephalods…
As for this selection, I guess I go in the Code Geek and Book Geek categories.
[delurks] I agree with MyaR. I counted three out of fifty-six geeks as female, or ~5.36% of geeks. Maybe my knowledge base is skewed, but I think that’s far smaller than the actual representation.
Girl geek???? Peh, stupid sexists. Scrapbooking or ren faire? Fuck right off. Is that cosplay one actually supposed to be a girl or a guy in drag? Stupid sexists. Peh.
I am not any either, I am some of them in part, but they just don’t have religion geek (they also need anal retentive geek, for those of us who like to annoy our girlfriends with how movies are historically or otherwise inaccuarte).
OptimusShrsays
“Although I agree with efp in questioning the whole accuracy of this drawing. Since when is a Jock a Geek?”
I guess they’re making jocks out to be geeks in their extensive almost encyclopedic knowledge of, whatever they’re, jocky, about. I have no idea how to word that.
Also I am actually 8 of the types, missed one on my first look.
Menasays
Ok, geeks, I have a question. This isn’t something that is in progess right now but I’m hoping that it will be soon. For a girl’s name, is Kimberlite or Marrella better? :^)
Timothysays
Why does the Linux Geek still have the price tag on his Tux shirt? Are they implying that we’re all cheap and keep the tags on so that we can return the clothes when we’re done wearing them?
I think Tony Popple wins the title of “Geek of Geeks” for that post. All hail!
Nuh-uh. His basis is neither complete nor orthogonal.
katiesays
What about a birder geek? I’ve spent enough time at field stations with this extremely territorial species to think they have their own geeky ways. Kind of like an outdoors geek, except they prefer pre-dawn hours and have their own entirely unique mating call.
CanadianChicksays
Mena – Kimberlite…diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend…
I’m not ANY of those geeks. I used to be a food geek, but I got over it. Waaahhhh…I’m a non-representational geek.
Yeah, the percentage of geeks of the female persuasion is a bit on the low side, and what’s listed is rather lackluster, though they are size accepting.
Hm. Well, no jelly baby for them…
Tom Fosssays
If they had a language or word geek on there, she could have told them that they misspelled “collectible.”
Since we are talking about geekiness and femaleness, it would be remiss of me not to mention Girl Geek Dinners – a network of dinner events so that female geeks can socialise and network with one another and with the gentlemen that they invite along. They started – as many civilised things have – in London and have spread out around the world, although not to the U.S. yet (existing women-in-tech groups already exist).
What we’re missing here is the true, original meaning of the word “geek”. A geek was the guy who acted as a wild man in a carnival freak show, who bit the heads off live chickens, and did other weird bits of psudosavagery to entertain the gullabe and ignorant. Nowadays they’re mainly to be found on(so called) reality television shows.
DLC says
Where’s the Science Geek ?
Dammit, I want a science geek!
danley says
Thanks a lot.
Dan says
The closest they come is a “Lab Geek,” but that doesn’t quite seem to fully encapsulate your immense geekiness, PZ. We need a “Reality Geek” I think.
junk science says
There’s a lab geek.
xebecs says
Oh come on — not even a Book Geek?
You must be holding out for Cephalo Geek.
efp says
The artist is clearly not a geek. I mean, Outdoor geek, fitness geek? Since when does jock = geek? Travesty.
A true geek would have included a browncoat.
Chris R. says
The Anime Geek looks almost like it has a cephalopod on its head.
hox says
That’s what happens when you let a comic geek make a cartoon about geeks.
Steve in MI says
PZ, you’re just saying that because the Lab Geek holding the suspect material isn’t smiling. Aren’t unexpected results the proverbial font of innovative thought?
PZ Myers says
Nah, it’s because he looks like a chemist.
MAJeff says
Food Geek *raising hand*
elmer says
Hey, there I am !
Ham Radio Geek…
CQ CQ CQ this is WA2YUH calling CQ and standing by for a call…
WA2YUH this is 9N1MM, Nine nancy one micky mouse. You’re Five and Nine in Katmandu, Nepal, My name is Moran, QSL?
PeteK says
Apple geek?
Zeno says
Yeah, the lab geek definitely looks like a chemist (although I wonder how much time chemists actually spend holding test tubes these days; my chem-geek nephew uses beakers).
But, PZ, you’re a college prof. Doesn’t that make you an Indy geek? You know, the kind of take-no-prisoners professors whose mild-mannered lectures can’t conceal the derring-do of his extracurricular activities? I mean, all of us college profs are admired and envied by virtually everyone. Right? (Or have I been sadly mistaken all these years?)
Rosie Redfield says
That’s not easy when only 3 of the 56 are female….
Mena says
Most geeks I know, including myself and my husband, are a combination of a couple different types of geeks.
what? says
Yeah. Too bad there’s no spot for Moron Geek.
Mike Fox says
PZ, I think you are the geek’s geek – it’s in the lower right corner. Look at all the geek love you’ve already gotten trying to help you on this.
Mike Fox says
…don’t assume that is paint…
OptimusShr says
I am 7 of the 56 kinds listed.
uknesvuinng says
Worst. Geek-categorization. Ever.
Tony Popple says
I think I need to express myself as a sum of “eigen-geeks”.
0.4*(Lab Geek) + 0.4*(Engineer Geek) + 0.2*(Jedi Geek)
MH says
I so want to be the Tron geek. Do such people exist?
poke says
You just need to change the science geek’s flask into an upside down octopus and you’re set.
Dan says
Perhaps you are so geeky that you’ve begun to drift into nerd territory?
Calladus says
I hit 12 of the listed. And there are probably another 12 geek categories not drawn that I would fit into.
Although I agree with efp in questioning the whole accuracy of this drawing. Since when is a Jock a Geek?
Zeno says
I think Tony Popple wins the title of “Geek of Geeks” for that post. All hail!
VWXYNot? says
Blog geek anyone?
Any taxonomy geeks out there will probably have issues with this one.
I used to be a lab geek, now I’m just a geek.
Whalehugger says
I don’t see one for Pulps geek. True, the Conspiracy Geek looks like the Shadow, but stilll, no pulp geeks? We’re a small group, but very much into the pursuit of geekiness. And what about a Writer geek for that matter? So many geeks missed and other geeks that shouldn’t be in there…
poke says
I mocked my idea up using my lackluster MS Paint skills and total lack of knowledge of the biology of anything larger than a cell:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6941/pzmp9.jpg
I did my best to give him a look of gratification at being inked.
octopod says
No geology geek? How sad! Indy Geek and Engineer Geek have kinda the right feel, but really not quite.
And no zoology geek either, for that matter… needs to be a Gussie Fink-Nottle type character. Although poke’s looks pretty good for that. Needs mud up to the knees and a lizard on its head.
Efogoto says
@#23:
Oh, yeah, TRON geeks exist.
Efogoto says
Can’t figure out the link structure here. That loses me lots of geek points. The url is: http://www.eastcoastbob.com/tronguy.htm
Byte Reader says
efp and Calladus,
Ever hung out with climbers? Pretty geeky folks, if you ask me.
I’m ashamed that I only meet 11 geeks on the list.
And where is the Beer Geek? A travesty!
MyaR says
Any taxonomy geeks out there will probably have issues with this one.
Yes, yes we do. My categorization senses are offended, not least of all, as pointed out above, by the lack of female geeks.
Onkel Bob says
Outdoor Geek? We’re called gear heads… Besides you need 4 tents, one for winter, (A-frame with two exits and a pole on on the ridgeline) one for the campground, (big – heavy – very opaque for campground activities) one for the solo trail hike, (light, mesh upper half) and another for the extended trip (light, but with vestibule fly, and room for two people). Mind you, I rarely use them as I prefer the bivvy sack and mosquito net. Of course 3 stoves, (butane, white gas, and multi-fuel) are also necessary.
Now mind you, if I get selected for the Silk Road expeditions/excavations, I’ll be ready for living on the steppes for 3 months!!
Tom Morris says
The Geek Code – even after over a decade since the last revision – specifies geekiness more accurately than attempts at geek taxonomy that have come since. I aspire to e++++ and h++ (or even h*). The Geek Code is quite narrowly academic, while more modern versions have pulled away from academia and towards more computer-oriented/lifestyle definitions.
Geek Code revisions now would include adding an OS X category and updating the sci-fi section to include Firefly/Serenity. Not to mention adding MMORPGing. And cephalods…
As for this selection, I guess I go in the Code Geek and Book Geek categories.
DrClown says
Squid geek, or squieek for short.
PK says
[delurks] I agree with MyaR. I counted three out of fifty-six geeks as female, or ~5.36% of geeks. Maybe my knowledge base is skewed, but I think that’s far smaller than the actual representation.
hecaterin says
Girl geek???? Peh, stupid sexists. Scrapbooking or ren faire? Fuck right off. Is that cosplay one actually supposed to be a girl or a guy in drag? Stupid sexists. Peh.
thadd says
I am not any either, I am some of them in part, but they just don’t have religion geek (they also need anal retentive geek, for those of us who like to annoy our girlfriends with how movies are historically or otherwise inaccuarte).
OptimusShr says
“Although I agree with efp in questioning the whole accuracy of this drawing. Since when is a Jock a Geek?”
I guess they’re making jocks out to be geeks in their extensive almost encyclopedic knowledge of, whatever they’re, jocky, about. I have no idea how to word that.
Also I am actually 8 of the types, missed one on my first look.
Mena says
Ok, geeks, I have a question. This isn’t something that is in progess right now but I’m hoping that it will be soon. For a girl’s name, is Kimberlite or Marrella better? :^)
Timothy says
Why does the Linux Geek still have the price tag on his Tux shirt? Are they implying that we’re all cheap and keep the tags on so that we can return the clothes when we’re done wearing them?
PZ Myers says
Do you even need to ask? Marrella, of course — who wouldn’t want to be named after a Cambrian arthropod?
Epikt says
Nuh-uh. His basis is neither complete nor orthogonal.
katie says
What about a birder geek? I’ve spent enough time at field stations with this extremely territorial species to think they have their own geeky ways. Kind of like an outdoors geek, except they prefer pre-dawn hours and have their own entirely unique mating call.
CanadianChick says
Mena – Kimberlite…diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend…
I’m not ANY of those geeks. I used to be a food geek, but I got over it. Waaahhhh…I’m a non-representational geek.
what type of geek am I?…Happy Homemaker Geek?
CanadianChick says
correction – Happy Homemaker Musical Accountant Geek
Rjaye says
What? No Dr. Who geek?
Yeah, the percentage of geeks of the female persuasion is a bit on the low side, and what’s listed is rather lackluster, though they are size accepting.
Hm. Well, no jelly baby for them…
Tom Foss says
If they had a language or word geek on there, she could have told them that they misspelled “collectible.”
Tom Morris says
Since we are talking about geekiness and femaleness, it would be remiss of me not to mention Girl Geek Dinners – a network of dinner events so that female geeks can socialise and network with one another and with the gentlemen that they invite along. They started – as many civilised things have – in London and have spread out around the world, although not to the U.S. yet (existing women-in-tech groups already exist).
Reinis says
Augh, I wonder what was used for reference for the anime geek, because it doesn’t look like anime at all.
Scott Hatfield, OM says
Re: #43 and #45.
First of all, I am at least 8 sort of geeks, based on the poster.
Second of all, I think there should have been a category for ‘fantasy sports geek’.
Third, I’ve always thought that ‘Soma’ would be a terrific girl’s name. As in ‘exotic Hollywood starlet Soma Dendrite.’
Amy says
I can’t get the page to load!
Blind Pig says
What we’re missing here is the true, original meaning of the word “geek”. A geek was the guy who acted as a wild man in a carnival freak show, who bit the heads off live chickens, and did other weird bits of psudosavagery to entertain the gullabe and ignorant. Nowadays they’re mainly to be found on(so called) reality television shows.
Keith Douglas says
Calladus: What do you call the sort of people who memorize huge swaths of sports statistics if not a jock geek?