Week 3: Why Geeks Should Write

According to dictionary.com, a “geek” is best described as a person who displays excessive enthusiasm for and a high level of expertise on a particular subject or activity while being somewhat reclusive and socially awkward. I have noticed from various courses last semester that a considerable number of people display some or all of the defined characteristics of a “geek”, for a lack of a better term (since the term “geek” could have a derogatory connotation). They were highly motivated not only for academic success but for self-exploration and augmentation beyond the minimum requirements, while not necessarily making social interaction their top priority. This is a waste of potential, as good ideas are meant to be shared yet the absence of social interaction makes sharing non-existent.

I understand that sometimes people can be shy or people just do not like talking to others. A great alternative to talking is, of course, writing. It does not require the effort of socialization so that variable is completely taken out. Writings are judged only on the quality of writing and the content. Geeks, who have dedicated themselves to their craft, should be confident about producing good content and anybody can be a solid writer with practice and due diligence. Writings can be distributed far and wide, especially in today’s world with the Internet, so a person from Africa can read and learn from ideas that another person for Australia produced to change or build upon his or her own ideas. Your ideas will also be exposed more, which is a good thing, since more people can benefit from them and provide you with feedback. Writing is a means of interaction with the outside world without the exertion of effort to socialize that geeks could feel.

It would also be prudent for geeks to write for the sake of recording their work.  They sometimes produce ideas at such a pace that old ideas might be forgotten and if not recorded, lost forever. I learned last semester from the slogs in CSC165 that reflection is very important. Towards the end of the semester, I was scrambling to find out what weaknesses I had in CSC165 to shore them up for the final exam. The slog had everything in it because I had been diligent in recording my struggles. Geeks should write down their current exploits so that in the future, they can use the accumulated knowledge to solve problems that they might have struggled in the past. The past could also serve as inspiration for current or future projects.

This is my opinion on why geeks should write, primarily for sharing and recording their ideas. I would love for my fellow CSC148 students to comment on this slog entry to give feedback on my opinion. I will also be reading and commenting other slogs to check out their opinions on the matter.