I think most nerds woudn't really refer to themselves as nerds. I've never called meself a nerd. I read, simple as that. just so happens that one of the things I read is comics. it's like when you're in a group, & there's that one guy who keeps saying, " I'm mad, me! " odds on he's not mad, just really annoying.
I've always called myself a nerd. All my nerd friends have called themselves nerds or geeks. Not as a way to brag but as a simple statement of fact. On the other hand, what I find annoying is "that one guy" (and it always seems to be a guy) in a group of nerds who insists on never calling himself a nerd and makes a big deal about it. It's like he's trying to gain cool points with the popular kids even though he still wants to keep all his nerdy hobbies.
fair enough. but ( & this may be a generational/geographical thing, I don't know how old you are or where you were brought up ), up until relatively recently, the term nerd was used mainly in a derogatory sense. I'm 50, and, believe me, back in the '70s, being called "nerd" wasn't in the least bit hip, and, more often than not, was accompanied by a smack in the face, a push to the ground, or the ripping up of your books/comics ( sometimes, all three ). in my own experience, it's only since the advent of the MCU & that awful Big Bang show that being a nerd has suddenly become the thing to be.
so, yeah, not trying to gain "cool points" or making a big deal about anything. just a statement of fact, from my own perspective.
You make a fair point, joe, but I'm 58 and I would date the "rise of the nerd" more to the early 80's and the growing importance of personal computers to, well, everyone. About 1984, a roommate of mine was promoted from mail room to head of personal computing services at a small city in California when it was discovered that she was the only one at City Hal who actually understood the things. That was also about the same time as the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies.
Hey, this is the same anon as before: I can understand where you're coming from, Joe. It might be generational. I was born in the early 80s and grew up in the 90s. Being called a nerd was still pretty derogatory and accompanied by bullying, but we embraced the term. We were who we were and we weren't going to apologize. Plus we'd talk among ourselves about how with the rise of computers, in 10-15 years we'd all be their bosses. I find it kind of funny how there's this big movement to stop saying that X person is a "fake nerd" (which I'm behind, to a point, because we need to stick together and shouldn't judge others or have a purity test) but I've seen so many people call themselves "nerds" who are the exact same people who used to bully me and my friends for being nerds. They have nothing nerd-like about them, but being a nerd is currently the "in" thing, so that's what they call themselves. It's a bit annoying. I know I'm probably making too big a deal about it, but it bugs me. It's not that they're not nerdy enough, or that they're not being a nerd "in the right way," it's that they're not nerds at all. Like they think playing Call of Duty or having seen Star Wars (i.e. they saw The Phantom Menace once) makes them a nerd.
You know how it is...Shit happens and people like such do coexist so we can't help it :D But yes we can ridicule their stupidity through comics and promote it ( a better idea)
It probably isn't, most probably...
ReplyDeleteIs it safe to joke about this?
ReplyDeletefirst black comic?
ReplyDeleteI think most nerds woudn't really refer to themselves as nerds. I've never called meself a nerd. I read, simple as that. just so happens that one of the things I read is comics. it's like when you're in a group, & there's that one guy who keeps saying, " I'm mad, me! " odds on he's not mad, just really annoying.
ReplyDeleteI've always called myself a nerd. All my nerd friends have called themselves nerds or geeks. Not as a way to brag but as a simple statement of fact. On the other hand, what I find annoying is "that one guy" (and it always seems to be a guy) in a group of nerds who insists on never calling himself a nerd and makes a big deal about it. It's like he's trying to gain cool points with the popular kids even though he still wants to keep all his nerdy hobbies.
ReplyDeletefair enough. but ( & this may be a generational/geographical thing, I don't know how old you are or where you were brought up ), up until relatively recently, the term nerd was used mainly in a derogatory sense. I'm 50, and, believe me, back in the '70s, being called "nerd" wasn't in the least bit hip, and, more often than not, was accompanied by a smack in the face, a push to the ground, or the ripping up of your books/comics ( sometimes, all three ). in my own experience, it's only since the advent of the MCU & that awful Big Bang show that being a nerd has suddenly become the thing to be.
Deleteso, yeah, not trying to gain "cool points" or making a big deal about anything. just a statement of fact, from my own perspective.
You make a fair point, joe, but I'm 58 and I would date the "rise of the nerd" more to the early 80's and the growing importance of personal computers to, well, everyone. About 1984, a roommate of mine was promoted from mail room to head of personal computing services at a small city in California when it was discovered that she was the only one at City Hal who actually understood the things. That was also about the same time as the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies.
DeleteFor what it's worth.
Hey, this is the same anon as before:
DeleteI can understand where you're coming from, Joe. It might be generational. I was born in the early 80s and grew up in the 90s. Being called a nerd was still pretty derogatory and accompanied by bullying, but we embraced the term. We were who we were and we weren't going to apologize. Plus we'd talk among ourselves about how with the rise of computers, in 10-15 years we'd all be their bosses.
I find it kind of funny how there's this big movement to stop saying that X person is a "fake nerd" (which I'm behind, to a point, because we need to stick together and shouldn't judge others or have a purity test) but I've seen so many people call themselves "nerds" who are the exact same people who used to bully me and my friends for being nerds. They have nothing nerd-like about them, but being a nerd is currently the "in" thing, so that's what they call themselves. It's a bit annoying. I know I'm probably making too big a deal about it, but it bugs me. It's not that they're not nerdy enough, or that they're not being a nerd "in the right way," it's that they're not nerds at all. Like they think playing Call of Duty or having seen Star Wars (i.e. they saw The Phantom Menace once) makes them a nerd.
You know how it is...Shit happens and people like such do coexist so we can't help it :D But yes we can ridicule their stupidity through comics and promote it ( a better idea)
ReplyDeleteEli~
Webcomics Hub
Bragging about being a nerd is a recent phenomenon. Bragging about drinking and sleeping around has always been with us.
ReplyDeleteI suspect the former is more often true than the latter.
Well said, Mr President.
ReplyDelete