The Essential Geek
There are many stereotypes of "the geek," and many of them have some basis in reality. And while the characteristics attributed to the stereotype are not entirely true of every individual, they do point to some general characteristics that are worth considering:
Passion for Reason
Geeks revere the rational and shun the emotional - and for many, reason is very much like a religious faith: what can be proved by reason is right, true, and safe. What is not provable by reason must therefore be wrong and dangerous - and to be feared.
And like a religious faith, geeks hold reason to be inviolate, and can be very passionate about it.
Problem-Solution Mind-Set
The nature of the work that they do is providing solutions to problems by a trial-and-error approach, and this tends to color the way they see the world.
What's more, they tend to be single-minded: there is one specific problem, for which there is one specific solution, and it can be difficult to get them to see beyond their assumptions until they have been thoroughly disproven in practice.
Also, any action that does not contribute to the task of solving the problem (such as a status meeting) is regarded as a nuisance, a distraction, and a waste of time.
Early Success
Another characteristic of geeks is early success: they tend to be drawn to computers at an early age, and develop a high level of proficiency by the time they reach their early twenties.
They are accustomed to dealing with elders who are less knowledgeable than themselves - and often regard anything "old" as being antique and incompetent.
On the other hand, they are very susceptible to flattery: praise for having solved a problem goes a long way.
Also, since success comes from individual action and solitary pursuits, they are not incented to develop social connections with others as a method to achieving success, and are generally lacking in social skills and maintain a childlike outlook on the world.
Joy of Puzzles
Geeks love intellectual activities, which is distilled into its essence in the form of a puzzle - which causes them not to act, but to think. Puzzles enable geeks to exercise their minds, develop new skills, and prove their competence.
The "average" person will attempt a challenge in order to achieve a reward - but for a geek, succeeding at the challenge is a reward unto itself. The process of solving a puzzle, being completely absorbed in the activity, is the peak of happiness for a geek.
Curiosity
Geeks also tend to be rich in natural curiosity: they have an insatiable desire to understand how things work. They are likened to a child who will take something apart to see what's inside, then to put it back together, and possibly even to make it work better than it did before.
Some geeks stay focused on a single subject (computers, programming, etc.), others may shift the subject of their curiosity over time. Some are abstract thinkers who are more interested in concepts and principles, others are more interested in mechanical objects and practical, demonstrable things.
One drawback to this curiosity is that geeks tend to become obsessed, and engross themselves in understanding something, and go "exploring" far beyond the level of understanding necessary to complete a specific task.
Geeks Choose Machines
Geeks, especially the computer geeks, are engrossed by machines - the tool, the toy, the object. The activity they do on it, work or play, is often incidental. Their reward comes not from achieving any specific goal, but in solving the problem of how to accomplish it.
Also, geeks choose machines over people: they tend to be introverts, and prefer solitary activities to social ones.
My Facts Are Your Facts
While geeks are generally careful thinkers, they can be sloppy about the difference between facts, assumptions, and opinions. The subtlety of inference and implication are entirely lost on them.
Particularly, they are prone to present opinion as fact, and expect that others will accept it as such (unless they argue to the contrary).
Judgment Is Swift and Merciless
Geeks have the tendency to come to a quick conclusion and, once the decision is made, to stop considering the situation.
This is especially counterproductive when it comes to working with people: if a person strikes them as being foolish or unworthy of respect, they have a tendency to dismiss that person completely and permanently.
Thinking tends to be binary: a person is intelligent or they aren't, useful or not, etc. and once that bit is flipped, it sticks in that position.
My Work, My Art
Geeks are very personally attached to their own work: it is a child, a tiny expression of themselves. Criticizing a geek's code is like telling someone they have an ugly baby. It does not go over well.
Geek Smarts
Geeks have a reverence for smart people - or at least people who are smart in ways that the geek can understand. For example, a programmer will respect a smart statistician, but probably won't respect a smart salesman.
They also expect others to hold them in esteem for their technical competence, and they expect other aspects of their personality (rudeness, condescending, arrogance, etc.) to be tolerated or overlooked.
Loyalty to Technology and Profession
Geeks are loyal to their technology and their profession, not to their employer. If they are offered a more engaging task elsewhere, they will pursue it. If they cannot do what they love to do, they will leave.
Their success in solving problems is also more important to them than the success of the company they work for, or the industry they work in. To the geek, these things are incidental.
They also tend to run in crowds, according to their interests: Java developers prefer the company of Java developers to other species of geek.
Money and Fairness
To geeks, money is often a secondary motivator. They do not see money as a pathway to prestige, power, position, possessions, and many of the typical reasons for which people seek money - in fact, they hold it in disdain.
However, money is often tied to a sense of fairness and justice: if they are more competent than someone else, even if that other person is senior in the company, than their compensation should be more.
But otherwise, so long as their needs are met, they generally don't obsess about earning more.
It's also worth noting that this runs contrary to traditional uses of money, in which money is used to reward someone who makes the greatest contribution to the company's bottom line.
Independence and Rebellion
While most geeks are timid on the surface, they have a very strong rebellious streak - but this is not so much disdain for authority as a strong sense of individualism. The concepts of freedom, independence, integrity, and self-determination, are very dear to geeks.
If pushed, the will push back, and lacking social skills, they generally don't do so well. They can throw tantrums, become obstinate and obstructive, or even walk out on a whim. Beware of this.