Originally Posted by Sgt Grizzly
just for arguments sake because I'm bored and the servers are down...
yes, in fact, I think the stereotype is true. Computer Programming or whatever it takes to hack is generally reserved for the more academic, less sociable, and more intelligent segment of society - nerds. Emphasis on "generally" since there are always exceptions to every rule. Likewise the demographic that enjoys football could also be lumped into a stereotype - a classification of society people hate to admit exist because of its tie to discrimination and racism. But in fact the two are mutually exclusive as the former is merely an observation and not a reason to dislike someone.
Nothing wrong with being a nerd. The word is often used as a pejorative but it does, however, signify someone who is often beyond average intelligence and that's a good thing. But somewhere along the way, most were blessed with good brains and awkward social skills making them appear strange or just annoying because of things like their insistence on accuracy which can lead to a break in the flow of an easy going conversation by turning it into a fact fest.
I'm 32 and have worked jobs since I was 17. I've seen a lot in my life and the weirdest, uncleanest(yes sadly that needs to be mentioned. Even our rule book felt the need to mention that showers were required of employees at least 3 times a week), most socially inept group of people I have ever worked with were computer nerds at a game testing company. I literally worked next to Morpheus.  Except he was white and had a receding hairline... |
I think what you experienced were just people who were more into a given field than you were used to seeing. How often do you see people doing for fun, what they do for work? The more into a field, the more you have to sacrifice elsewhere. Most of the time, social activities (and hygiene, since those two usually go hand in hand) are the first things to go. Why spend time with other people, when you can spend that time doing what you love? Unless that field is a social activity anyways, like sports, dancing, or whatever, you will probably come out looking like a "nerd". Wouldn't matter what you are doing, be it computers, automobiles, or marine biology.
People in upper tiers of a field, look strange to people who are not into the same field. Computers, happen to facilitate people getting to those upper tiers more easily than pretty much any other field. This is due to the explosion of computers in daily life. So you will see a higher quantity of them. Although, the more people there are, the more diluted the effect becomes. This is why I feel the old stereotype is outdated and irrelevant in today's world.
I do agree that the people who did the hacking, are highly skilled. Intelligence could be debatable, they did just land themselves as enemies of a massive corporation, homeland security, and the FBI after all. That being said, I do not see any indication to their social behaviors at all.