[mrits]

I got basketballs and golf clubs. I had to beg my dad to get me my first amiga 500. He agreed only because he thought I'd might get rich from it one day. So my interest, to the best that I can tell, was self originated.

[thirdtruck]

One crucial difference is that your father did buy you that Amiga. A lot of girls couldn't get one at all.

[rmc]

Exactly. Geeks used to be picked on, and bullied. Maths and science wasn't cool.

[ibebrett]

there is a difference between it being cool and being acceptable. you had an identity as a nerd. you were accepted as a nerd, and cool people were probably happy that you were because it put you lower on the totem pole.