- Joined
- Oct 31, 2013
Nerd/geek culture, self-identification, and the Nerd Police
- Thread starter hellbound
- Start date
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- Joined
- Mar 10, 2014
I used to see myself as a nerd, but mostly because that was kids at school told me I was. At one point I even had a brief weaboo phase where I referred to myself as an otaku(not knowing what it actually entailed in true weaboo fashion) in a bid to try and remove the sting, but that didn't work for obvious reasons.
I was a "nerd" in the sense that I wanted to succeed in school for my own reasons, and I have interests that went against the grain of whatever passing fad my classmates were into. I liked rock music, not whatever Disney "tween" music was big at the time. I didn't like bad Disney and Nick sitcoms rife with canned laughter, I liked anime. I didn't like sports, I liked theatre and art. I don't have typically macho qualities such as big muscles, and I grow my hair out(not to tomgirl levels, but most guys were on the sports teams and would either shave their hair, or have lose most of it before turning 20). The problem is that kids in school came up with the stupidest reason to call me a nerd and I was just too timid to try and make a witty comeback or two. The way my classmates acted sometimes, you'd think they were stuck in the mid/late 20th century (which they might had been for a time until Jersey Shore hit it big)
Now I acknowledge that I have interests and traits that aren't mainstream for guys, but the good thing about college is that you aren't ostracized for giving a crap about my school work or something stupid like that. Though I will refer to myself as a nerd sometimes, I do it when I'm feeling really depressed and self loathing. Nowadays, I generally consider myself more of an eccentric than anything else, but that's mostly because I'm still trying to purge old thoughts that I had in high school.
I was a "nerd" in the sense that I wanted to succeed in school for my own reasons, and I have interests that went against the grain of whatever passing fad my classmates were into. I liked rock music, not whatever Disney "tween" music was big at the time. I didn't like bad Disney and Nick sitcoms rife with canned laughter, I liked anime. I didn't like sports, I liked theatre and art. I don't have typically macho qualities such as big muscles, and I grow my hair out(not to tomgirl levels, but most guys were on the sports teams and would either shave their hair, or have lose most of it before turning 20). The problem is that kids in school came up with the stupidest reason to call me a nerd and I was just too timid to try and make a witty comeback or two. The way my classmates acted sometimes, you'd think they were stuck in the mid/late 20th century (which they might had been for a time until Jersey Shore hit it big)
Now I acknowledge that I have interests and traits that aren't mainstream for guys, but the good thing about college is that you aren't ostracized for giving a crap about my school work or something stupid like that. Though I will refer to myself as a nerd sometimes, I do it when I'm feeling really depressed and self loathing. Nowadays, I generally consider myself more of an eccentric than anything else, but that's mostly because I'm still trying to purge old thoughts that I had in high school.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2013
I've spent a lot of time thinking about this issue. I think what it boils down to is this:
I get tired of stupid people assuming I'm supposed to like the big bang theory because I'm smart, and that's a show about smart nerd stuff. Which, naturally, makes stupid people feel smarter, because the general consensus tells them it's a smart show for smart nerd people!
That's all it is, really. People make it out to be a conflict between the truly faithful and the filthy casuals, but neither side realizes the true enemy is marketing.
If you think your identity is being sullied by the target market, you've been played by corporate interests, my friend.
I get tired of stupid people assuming I'm supposed to like the big bang theory because I'm smart, and that's a show about smart nerd stuff. Which, naturally, makes stupid people feel smarter, because the general consensus tells them it's a smart show for smart nerd people!
That's all it is, really. People make it out to be a conflict between the truly faithful and the filthy casuals, but neither side realizes the true enemy is marketing.
If you think your identity is being sullied by the target market, you've been played by corporate interests, my friend.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2013
It's a show so smart it needs a goddamn laugh track in 2014 to let the audience know when a joke's happened.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2013
I know a single teenage guy that likes the show. I'm telling him that makes him a middle-aged couple now.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2013
My mom loves the Big Bang Theory. She used to call me up to tell me what episode was on and what hilarious jokes just happened and "Hey, I just recorded 20 episodes, want to come over and watch them all at once!" I don't know anyone my age who watches that show.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2013
The last two girls I dated love that show. Both were what I would call "real" nerds, just people with bad taste.