Will "Geeks" Rule The World?

(CBS)  Upcoming college graduates have a lot to worry about with a troubled economy and a tight job market, but one group is faring pretty well through it all - the so-called "geeks".

A recent study reveals that even in this economy, it pays to be a geek - with starting salaries in engineering over $50,000.

That, at least, is according to self-proclaimed "geek" Garth Sundem, the author of "The Geeks' Guide to World Domination".

Sundem's book provides the secrets needed to function - again, or for the first time - as a geek, ranging from technology, society and science to culture.

The author shared some insight on the geek culture and why being a geek is chic now. He also cleared up the difference between a geek and a nerd.

"I think nerds are defined by what they can't do? They can't be social. Geeks are defined as being passionate about something. We care so much about something that it sort of pushes our ability to function socially, to the side. But you know, I know tech geeks, fantasy-football geeks. I know music geeks. You know, a geek cares about something."

"Is Steve Job the ultimate geek?" asked Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.

"Bill Gates, go through the geek line-up," he said. "If you care enough about the news, maybe you're a news geek."

Sundem says "it's something that we have that we care so much about we can't help but bring it up in dinner conversation, like parasitic behaviors."

He demonstrated some "geek language" that can be used on the computer called "emotocons," that show emotion.

For example:

When something is fishy you can use...

))))*>

Or when someone blushes you can use...

= ^ _ ^ =

Or say you like to send someone a rose...

----<--{@

Although Sundem can't take the credit for the clever emotocons, he says "these are in the geek culture at large."