Infinite Recursion

I think society itself has a distorted perspective. One immediately assumes that anyone who is involved in complex subjects is smarter than the average person and along with that title comes a subtitle of nerd.

Implying that a nerd is someone who lacks the ability to socialize and/or does not have a life is without basis. Sounds to me like the media may have had a hand in this as well. Nerds socialize with other nerds every day. Just because you pass one in the hall and they aren't the center of attention or among a group of people during lunch doesn't mean they are an outkast or lack the ability to socialize or have no life.

In regards to being social... maybe some people don't care if they fit in or not... maybe some people don't want to participate in all the drama that other people bring to the table or worry about someone else's problems. Maybe that person just wants to be left alone and not bothered. That person has no need nor desire to fit in or be part of anything outside of their little world. Call them an anti-social person, nerd even... but that doesn't mean they do not have a life.

To them, going home after school and writing code then playing video games is their routine... their life. Its no different than a jock going home and playing a game of football then trying to have a conversation about some sports move over the phone with a guy on his team. Or some cheerleader going home after school and puking in the toliet because she drank too much from the party she went to after the game.

Calling a programmer a socially inept nerd, is like calling a quarterback a waste of brain cells, or a cheerleader a slut.

People are different, the definition of life is to each their own. I'm fairly certain that nerds account for more contributors to society than any other group that has a label.

Any how... just figured I would chime in on this.. been a while since I've seen the word "programmer" on this forum.



"...when a horde of socially-inept nerds would descend upon the local Denny's like a plague of locusts."

I got a good mental image of this and a good laugh. You have wings? Wtf, no fair. If only I fit in.

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"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."

Darkhack

I'm one of those people that doesn't even know how to make friends. All the advice I hear is "walk up to someone and start a conversation". Is that really at all normal? That sounds incredibly creepy to me. Plus I've never seen other people do it. At the community college where I am at now, nobody talks to anybody. Everyone just kind of keeps to themselves. I like it that way though; it makes it easier to study and not worry about all the drama and bullshit that people gave me in high school. I only had one or two friends that I really liked in high school. If I could have just one or two, then I'd be happy. Currently I don't have any, but I am just fine with that. Better to have no friends than friends that I dislike.

Jabo

I think social interaction is a distraction myself. I can't count the # of times I've been nearly run over by somebody talking on a cell phone. Or the # of coworkers who can't get anything done because they have so many friends calling. Or how many times I've tried to watch a movie and couldn't because of all the people talking over it. Or the people in class who spend all their time shmoozing and then can't do their part when it comes time to hand in the group project. Socializing isn't necessarily evil, but it does have it's place; too bad people are confused about where that place is.

DaWei

I design my life (that means "exert control"). It's modular; it's compartmentalized. Interactions are subject to definition (but not as strictly as could be the case).

Members here don't know who my current sweetie is. She doesn't know if the members here are technically qualified, or full of shit.

Any attempt to breach the individual contracts will result in an exception being thrown. The exception procedure is short, sweet, and drastic, as befits exception procedures. RETI, job done.

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Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code.
Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Duck

DaWei talks in riddles . Did anyone understand the relevance of DeWai's comment. Maybe I'm stupid lol.

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bigguy

I don't have many friends at the college I go to except for people I graduated with. Not because I'm unsocialable or nothing. But everyone in my classes are 40+ years old, so we don't have much in common. But as for making friends it can be hard to walk up to someone and start a conversation. But everyone needs friends, you might not think so but I dont think could manage day to day wth out someone to do something with and know that I can count on them when I need them. Everyone is different though, some like to keep to themselves. You might not think you have much in common with people you meet. But your in the same class(s), you there is one interest you have in common with them. Just try to make a conversation like "HI I'm yourname, I'm getting my areaofstudy. What about you?" Then go form there, just make small talk for the next couple of days, if they don't try to engage you in a conversation then they probably wouldnt be the best choice for you.

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Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heal that has crushed it. - Mark Twain

Destruction leads to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation.

Kelvoron

I grew up in a small town in the country so we did not really have all of the socail groups you guys are talking about. I myself was captin of the foot ball team and had "frineds" in all of the "groups". In reality those frineds were only frineds during football season. I was passed from grade to grade with out accualy earning the grades to move on. I became a programmer in my Jr. year because i finaly relised there was more to life then football and i was determind to prove i was smart so i quit the football team and bought a computer. Granted i still need to learn to spell before i graduate colage but im working on it. I personaly try to keep just two or three frineds, people that i acualy know are my frineds because i am tired of the artificial frineds. so in turn i don't talk much to people unless i have to. but i agree not comenting code would drive me bonkers.

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Jabo

DaWei is what you might call eccentric. He's been around enough that he can talk over your heads, and he seems to enjoy doing so.

His post probably has relevance on some level, but don't ask him to explain it. I sense he enjoys taking your lunch money.

ReggaetonKing

I usually don't have any problem understanding his posts. I guess it takes some getting use to. Your comment about taking the lunch money was unnecessary.

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Jabo

Well, I agree with a lot of what DaWei has to say, but sometimes he just takes it too far, goes overboard with it. I'm not bashing him at all.