Nerd/geek culture, self-identification, and the Nerd Police

[Some JERK]

"Nerd" used to be a pejorative term given to people who preferred intellectual pursuits over social/athletic activities. It wasn't really something that people ever used to define themselves. In other words, real "nerds" only called themselves nerds as a kind of ironic in-joke. That anyone takes the title serious enough to defend it or say that some people aren't good enough to "qualify" for it is fucking retarded.

 

[Foulmouth]

This sort of shit baffles me somewhat.I'm a big yob, I do manual labour for a living and I love the pub.
I also read a lot,play RPG's and chess,paint lead miniatures and make model buildings.
Labels are a crock of shit.

 

[Sexual Stallone]

This sort of shit baffles me somewhat.I'm a big yob, I do manual labour for a living and I love the pub.
I also read a lot,play RPG's and chess,paint lead miniatures and make model buildings.
Labels are a crock of shit.

Gay

 

[Dr. Mario]

If nerd is a pejorative term. Why would you call yourself like that and think it's cool? Fuck the nerds.

Spoiler

 

[exball]

Meh, I even own a freaking sword (granted, its only for show, but still).

You only own one sword? Pff, normalfag.

 

[TastyWoodenBadge]

 

[Marvin]

Of course, just because its not actually genocide doesn't mean it can't still sting just a little. To be honest, I do view the current popularity of "nerd culture" as a mixed blessing of sorts. On the one hand, I'm happy to know that things I like are popular. It means that my favourite series might last a little longer. It means that they might actually put stuff out on DVD after all these years. It means there might be more new merchandise I can buy. It means some of my favourite actors and artists might make more convention appearances. All of that is good news to me. Plus, I like the idea that there are women who are into fandom. Really, there always have been, its just they haven't always been the most visible faces of the subculture. I'm proud to say that my last ex got into nerd subculture through me.

I feel that. Especially the thing about girls. My last girlfriend was a serious gamer (and stunningly beautiful) on her own, and that's a big reason why I liked her. Honestly, at this point, I'm thinking that I don't think I could have a serious relationship with someone if they weren't into at least one of my (strange) interests. Because, I mean, what's the point? Why not just meet up and fuck once in awhile, and leave it at that? It'd be exactly the same thing, if we aren't friends. And a huge part of how I bond with my friends is because we share interests.

And yes, there are people who latch onto just about anything simply because its popular (at the time).

Haha, I was infuriated when I heard that there was going to be an American remake of Oldboy. And by Spike Lee, of all people. Like, fuck, how can I stop this from happening? Do I need to personally sabotage this movie?

I was worrying that I would be sitting in a bar, and some guy next to me would say "oh my god, did you see Oldboy? that fight scene in it was great!" And of course, I'd be sitting there, grinding my teeth, clenching my fists and thinking "you dipshit, the real Oldboy's ending would bring you to tears!"

Thankfully, the remake bombed and few people actually saw it. So this story has a happy ending.

On the other hand, it is a little infuriating when douchebag hipsters latch onto something and then act like they knew about it before you. But then, that's true for just about any fad.

To me, nerdiness and suffering aren't (directly) connected. Although, of course, a big inspiration for my whole understanding of "nerd" comes from Revenge of the Nerds. (I both love the movie and hate the movie)

Heh, and when I bring up as Revenge of the Nerds as my source for "nerd", I'm mostly joking. But actually, now that I think about it, it may not be too far from the truth.

Like, I'm thinking that nerds aren't nerds because they're persecuted, they're nerds because of their interests. If the nerds in the movie managed to defeat their persecutors, and end persecution of nerdkind (this just makes me laugh too much not to write), they'd still be nerds, right?

All of their smugness aside, I think part of what bothers me about it is that I actually lived through it. Again, I was kind of a nerdy kid, and I'll be amongst the first to admit it. I got bullied at times, and I wasn't always the most popular guy. I had my fair share of rejection. Hell, that's part of why I can feel a bit of empathy for Chris (though even that wears thin when he starts doing things like accusing firefighters of stealing from him...)

See, I feel sorry for Chris, but for different reasons. I don't believe Chris wasn't substantially bullied at any point in his life. Chris' life sucks because of a few reasons, but getting rejected wasn't a big part of it. Heh, you can't get rejected if you don't try in the first place, y'know?

Or, rather, I wasn't considering trolling. So yeah, there's bullying. I was more thinking about people bringing up his school years and wondering if he was bullied during that time.

 

[cypocryphy]

There was a time in the U.S. when the idea of a woman voting, or wearing jeans, or driving was crazy.

Shit changes, women like videos games these days...just get over it already.

 

[Anchuent Christory]

This sort of shit baffles me somewhat.I'm a big yob, I do manual labour for a living and I love the pub.
I also read a lot,play RPG's and chess,paint lead miniatures and make model buildings.
Labels are a crock of shit.

Exactly, the sportiest person I ever knew also collected, played, and painted 40k stuff.

Heh, yeah, like, me, Alec and some other trolls hang out in mumble. And they've all been playing games for years, it's not like they're novices or anything like that. I'm not much of a gamer, but I'm aware of the "hardcore" gamer shtick. So when I'm in mumble, and I listen to them talking about video games, I'm like "huh, so this is what a well adjusted gamer sounds like..."

Yeah, I can relate to this. Gaming is my main hobby, but i actually find it difficult to have meaningful dialogue with others about gaming due because of the typical hardcore gamer attitude and the overly aggressive, polarised and opinionated slant it gives to the community.
Some of the best chats I have are with a friend of mine who hardly plays games, so his views and observations can be genuinely refreshing. When he does play a game he seems to get a lot more pure enjoyment out of it because he doesn't approach it loaded with preconceptions and prejudices, and just appreciates it for what it is.

 

[hellbound]

Eh... I don't know. Basically, the characters are pretty corny, but they're just real enough to seem like they were the writer's legit goal. I'm not seeing how they're satirizing anything.

I'm not a huge fan of it and it is kind of stretching things but you can't work in the sciences without knowing people who on some level are a little like those characters. I work in biology, which probably has the most "normal" scientists of the hard sciences (in my experience weirdness seems to go up the further you get from studying people, so physicists tend to be weirder than chemists, who are weirder than biologists, who are weirder than those in the social sciences), but you will always find somebody who's too nervous around women to ask them out like the indian guy (but doesn't actually go mute), or who requires a strictly regimented life and just plain does not give a shit about other people like Sheldon (but not to quite that extent), or whatever. Seems to me the writers were pretty decent at taking tendencies that are prevalent in the field and cranking the dial all the way up as satire.

But I still feel like I have no idea who I am, what makes me, me. I know I fit in here, which is nice, but I wish I knew what kind of person I am, because all my life I've been one of those people who does things to please others to fit in.

Personally I try not to worry about what kind of person I am. I try to do things I enjoy, and be kind and helpful in general, and let other people worry about what kind of person I am and what to call me if they want.

 

[Marvin]

I'm not a huge fan of it and it is kind of stretching things but you can't work in the sciences without knowing people who on some level are a little like those characters. I work in biology, which probably has the most "normal" scientists of the hard sciences (in my experience weirdness seems to go up the further you get from studying people, so physicists tend to be weirder than chemists, who are weirder than biologists, who are weirder than those in the social sciences), but you will always find somebody who's too nervous around women to ask them out like the indian guy (but doesn't actually go mute), or who requires a strictly regimented life and just plain does not give a shit about other people like Sheldon (but not to quite that extent), or whatever. Seems to me the writers were pretty decent at taking tendencies that are prevalent in the field and cranking the dial all the way up as satire.

I'm not sure what point they would be trying to make with this as a satire. Like, what are they trying to say? That people with social problems exist? That they're frequently into science? I don't get it.

Really, it just seems like people are taking a bad show, and trying to excuse it because they got a few things factually correct.

So, for example, I think That 70's Show was a pretty great show. I definitely liked it. But if it actually was a bad show, this would be like me trying to excuse it because it squeezed in some references to 70's culture.

 

[hellbound]

I'm not sure what point they would be trying to make with this as a satire. Like, what are they trying to say? That people with social problems exist? That they're frequently into science? I don't get it.

Really, it just seems like people are taking a bad show, and trying to excuse it because they got a few things factually correct.

So, for example, I think That 70's Show was a pretty great show. I definitely liked it. But if it actually was a bad show, this would be like me trying to excuse it because it squeezed in some references to 70's culture.

I think it's less about making it a good show, and more about making it a popular show. Firefly was a great show, but not a very popular one, at least among the population at large. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is an awful show, but very popular.

In terms of Big Bang, having characters that are essentially stereotypes cranked up increases its appeal on two fronts: one, for scientists who would otherwise be turned off by the show's poor science, it provides a sense of "lol I know people like that." For laypeople, it provides "lol nerds."

 

[Marvin]

I think it's less about making it a good show, and more about making it a popular show. Firefly was a great show, but not a very popular one, at least among the population at large. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is an awful show, but very popular.

In terms of Big Bang, having characters that are essentially stereotypes cranked up increases its appeal on two fronts: one, for scientists who would otherwise be turned off by the show's poor science, it provides a sense of "lol I know people like that." For laypeople, it provides "lol nerds."

Well yeah, that's absolutely what they're doing. I'm just not getting where satire comes into the picture.

 

[Mogambo]

I work in biology, which probably has the most "normal" scientists of the hard sciences (in my experience weirdness seems to go up the further you get from studying people, so physicists tend to be weirder than chemists, who are weirder than biologists, who are weirder than those in the social sciences)

Actually, I'd disagree. I've got an MA in Anthropology (though I don't actually work in the field, because there really aren't jobs in the field, but that's another issue entirely) and anthropologists would give a run for your money when it comes to weirdness. European anthropologists even more so. Indeed, there's something of a tradition of anthropologists being "outsiders" in their own culture.

I think it's less about making it a good show, and more about making it a popular show.

THIS!

Firefly was a great show, but not a very popular one, at least among the population at large. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is an awful show, but very popular

And even more this! Honey Boo Boo is a terrible show, but it gets viewers. Firefly was absolutely brilliant and enjoyable, and it got cancelled before its time. Life isn't fair, but there's more to it than that. Popularity is essentially manufactured. Networks throw money and advertisements behind the shows they like, and they sell it to the public. That's why you have entirely manufactured celebrities like Justin Bieber. That's why the media covers the same subjects while ignoring actual news. Ever heard of Max Martin? That pretty much sums up what's wrong with "pop" music in the US.

 

[Marvin]

Ahaha, wow. So, I've always laughed about this image, but I only just read it recently, and realized I had to post it:

Like, shit like this reminds me, retarded spergy dipshits have always existed and will always exist. Technology might exacerbate the problem, or it might reduce it, but they'll always be there.

 

[Observers]

Like, shit like this reminds me, retarded spergy dipshits have always existed and will always exist. Technology might exacerbate the problem, or it might reduce it, but they'll always be there.

That actually was offensive... of course capt. Picard is no longer hurting from his borg experience.. they did a whole episode were he went back to earth and ended up having a fist fight with his older bully brother in the vineyard ... after it showed how he had confronted the menace and moved on..... GAWD!!!!

 

[exball]

The N word.

Spoiler

 

[hellbound]

Well yeah, that's absolutely what they're doing. I'm just not getting where satire comes into the picture.

Maybe satire isn't the best word for it, because it's not really providing a message or coherent commentary. Perhaps caricature is a better term.

I wonder if the whole nerd-police phenomenon can just be traced to simple tribalism. Humans are social critters but not all-inclusive. Pre-civilization, people stuck to small, close-knit groups and not give much of a shit about other tribes, and as a result outsiders would be suspicious at best because they're going to be looking out for their own tribe. Mash us all together, connect us by the millions instead of dozens, and maybe that leads to a sort of instinctual exclusion on whatever grounds we can find. He can't be part of the Nerd tribe because he didn't get bullied enough. She can't be part of the Local Sports Team tribe because she only started liking them a couple years back when they got into the championships. Xe can't be part of the social justice tribe because xe doesn't want cisheteroscum to die.

 

[Descent]

The N word.

Spoiler

Now I really want to see someone write a book about living as a nerd and experiencing the discrimination and hate they totally go through.

"Nerd Like Me" by Chad Thundercock.

 

[DC 740]

To be honest I don't know why anyone would want any of these titles. A lot of my time revolves around "there's that fucking nerd, have him fix the computer while we go enjoy ourselves". At least it's what it boils down to... And I hate it. It's the only worth I get as a human being from these people.