Nerd Culture

I refer to myself as a nerd quite frequently (exhibit #1: the header above). I get a wide range of responses to my proclamation.

Some people go with "Noooo! I don't think so!" which means one of two things. 1) They've never met me or 2) They put a negative connotation on the word "nerd".

The most common response is nervous laughter while they try to ascertain how I feel about my own label.

But the response that spurred this post is the admonishing "Don't say that!" Somehow, in the current heyday of geek chic, being labeled a nerd is still seen as an unfortunate occurrence.

I have no qualms about calling myself a nerd.  I wear it as a badge of honor.  I care about something(s) enough to be considered a nerd.

But then I really blow people's minds with the sheer diversity of my nerdscape.

Comics, Sci-Fi (not SyFy), computers, fantasy books, Star Trek/Gate/Wars, documentaries, music deconstruction, baseball stats, genre TV shows, gadgets, math......

Wait just a second my opinionated opiner, I like some of those things but I'm not a....nerd.


And here's where the conundrum comes in.  Given the current accepted definition of "nerd", everyone is a nerd about something.

Patton Oswalt may have written the best rant ever on this subject.  He points out that the internet gives us instantaneous access to a wealth of information that would have taken basement dwellers of old years to compile.

Why argue about how many episodes of Star Trek TOS had Kirk hooking up with a pastel-colored lady when all it takes is a quick Wikipedia search?  You want to own life-sized replicas of Ian Holm circa Alien AND Fellowship of the Ring?  Look no further than Ebay/Craigslist.  You might just find some herpes while you're there.

So, my dear reader(s), I say embrace your emerging nerdiness.  Accept your irrational obsessions.  And don't be afraid to read that Farscape/Care Bears crossover fanfic just because Karen in HR would think you're weird.

Heroes and Villains

Indulging my paradox thinking last week brought me to the realization that nearly everything around us is a paradox.  

Plastic

It makes horrible knock-off toys from Hong Kong and it saves lives through pacemakers.

Porcelain

Craptacular babies with angel's wings for which your grandmother pays $400 and also toilets.

Paper

Gives you access to knowledge of the ages and gives your bird something to poo on.

Human Beings

Humans bring joy, pain, camaraderie, alienation, euphoria, torment, life, death.  We are cruel and forgiving simultaneously.  We want people to accept our differences and ostracize others'.

As terrible as it sounds, this type of thinking made me feel better.  There will always be some walking douche thriving on chaos and mayhem.  But knowing that life itself is a paradox means that there will always be someone who is the antithesis of said douche who rides in and fights back.

(Caution - Nerd Overload Approaching...)

Every Sauraman has a Gandalf.  Every Emperor has a Luke.  Every Alien has a Ripley. Every Biff has a Marty McFly.  Every Cobra Kai has a Ralph Macchio.  Every Kahn has a Kirk.  

They don't always look like wizards or Jedi but the heroes will fight oppression and hatred until the very end.


I don't think most people, myself included, are cut out to be traditional heroes.  We have our moments when we pull children from burning buildings and lift cars off of loved ones.  But for most of us our heroism peaks at finding the last blue ultra-mega-robot-man-thing in town for our kid's Christmas present.  Or volunteering our time/money to help less fortunate people in our town.

But looking at life as an amalgamation of paradoxes, heroes, and schmoes means that simple actions by regular people are some of the most important and heroic acts possible.

Every Frodo has a Sam.  Every Han has a Chewy.  Every Indiana has a Short Round. Every Kirk has a Spock.  Every Arthur Dent has a Marvin.

While the heroes are saving the day, the regular Joes find ways to make just as much impact on the world around them.  And without those sidekicks and regular guys, the world wouldn't be worth saving anyway.

(Also, if you understood all of the nerdy references above then we seriously need to be friends, like, now.)