Hm.. when talking about the inherent meaning of a word (and whether there is such a thing) I might make reference to denotation vs. connotation, but I'm not pre

Hm.. when talking about the inherent meaning of a word (and whether there is such a thing) I might make reference to denotation vs. connotation, but I'm not prepared to dig into the semantics here. I would say that my experience with regard to the use of the word "normie" is indeed different from yours. Regardless, on a site called Hacker News, in an era where "geek" has a neutral or even slightly positive connotation (despite it's history and origins) I think the default should be to assess how an author actually uses a word, rather than how it often used in broader society.