Plugged In: Devious Variations on an Old E-Mail Scam

By Steve Fox, PCW Print Jun 26, 2003 1:00 AM

Nagging Question: When Did 'Geek' Become Chic?

Way back when--in, say, 1511, when Shakespeare used it to mean "fool"--the word geek was a flat-out insult. By the 1920s, geeks were circus performers who bit the heads off chickens. Later still, geeks referred to socially inept outsiders (aka losers). Not anymore. Starting in the early 1990s, computer-savvy types began to claim the word as their own, and geekiness became a badge of honor. As a Mondo 2000 magazine article from 1993 states, "Geek is the proud, insider term for nerd. If you are not a dedicated techie, don't use this word." You've been warned.

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