Ngl, but I never really understood why people use "nerd" as an insult

I don't know. When I was younger it was definitely thrown at me as an insult.. In addition to many other things....

Now it depends on who it's coming from.
Even when used neutrally towards me personally, I feel like the outcome is the same really. I still feel excluded/don't really have any friends.
This is even amongst people that would be considered "nerds" too.
🤔 I'm realizing that no matter what there will be things that will be consider too "nerdy" or not acceptable.

Sorry, to answer your topic I also don't think it's really an insult these days. Regardless of that I never understood it as well.

I feel like there's stigma around it now. I often hear people proudly refer to themselves as a "nerd" (well, myself included).

When I was younger it was exclusively an insult. The whole "nerd culture" thing as a positive thing was new to me. Like reclaiming the language.

It's a jock thing. They are insecure because they have less book learning than nerds, so they try to convince themselves they are better than them because they have athletic prowess.

Yes true. They just masturbate to math problems and computers