I suppose it sounds nerdy to someone who's not a real big PC hobbyist. There's also a certain thrill that comes from beating the reaper. Knowledgeable overclockers can keep a system running smoothly for years, but risks still abound. The most common overclocking techniques increase the power supplied to everything connected to the motherboard, meaning that graphics processors, hard drives and other components may overheat or perform erratically. But stray cooling fluids can short out components, and a wrong setting or loose screw can wreak havoc.
Physical injury is even a possibility.
I've had friends get third-degree burns working on their systems. Finally, there's the social risk that comes with turning into a full-bore hardware geek. It's hard to explain. Probably the best way to describe it is a little touch of insanity. That bargain PC you picked up at the swap meet is starting to act funny, spitting out bad data, making odd noises and emanating a smell reminiscent of an overworked model train.