Friday, June 4, 2010

Sticks and Stones

I have been called Geek or Nerd much of my life.  I understand...I definitely am.  Yes, I play video games and I like Star Wars.  I read Sci-Fi and comic books and liked learning in school.  I've attended a Star Trek convention.  I was awkward, shy, wore glasses and my mom made me wear corduroy pants throughout junior high (this was well before corduroy made a comeback and was just considered horrible).

I may have once called my self these names but it has been years since I have thought of myself in those terms.  Not because I am all of a sudden cool and suave and interesting to the ladies...that I am not.  Not because I now dislike all the things that nerds and geeks love...I still love them too.  I stopped thinking of myself as a geek or nerd because it almost became cool to be a geek or a nerd in the past few years.  Lord of the Rings and comic book character movies are now popular culture.  Big Bang Theory is in it's third (or fourth) season and watched by millions each week.  Star Trek was re-made and a lot of non-fans liked it.  Internet memes that are passed to all.  Popular actors and actresses all claiming to be geeks.  People knowing who Steve Jobs is.

I don't know...I just don't feel that type of geek/nerd.  Geek and nerd always felt like you had to be an outsider by definition (yes, even though Revenge of the Nerds taught us that we are all geeks inside).  I just don't feel like a geek/nerd part of society.  I just find mainstream geek kind of weird.  Maybe I like being an outsider.

But what can replace these words?  The closest I that I have found to describe myself is Dork and Loser.  Both dregs of society.  You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.  I'm a loner.  A rebel.  I proudly proclaim myself to be both.

2 comments:

Lax Guy said...

Since I knew what that quote was without even opening the link, what does that say about me?!?
I'm with you, but I've never really categorized myself. I mean I love comics, sci fi, etc though I've never been to a convention. Although that has more to do with an aversion to big crowds.
I love History, Biography, Discovery. Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite shows.
Hell, I even make and run websites. And I enjoy spirited debates on the possibility of time travel and string theory - believer in the "alternate realities" model BTW.
But at the same time I play hockey & lacrosse - two of the "manliest" sports ever conceived. I love watching most sports - something traditional "nerds" abhor.
But it is definitely no coincidence that the hockey team I play for is Cup O Kryptonite...

Michael said...

It's such a great quote - I pull it out all the time and I am only sad when about half the people get it.

Maybe all the cool Geeks are "Taking it Back" much like Porch Monkey. Maybe Revenge of the Nerds has come true and more and more people are admitting their inner geek.

Maybe I am just anti-social and don't want to be in a group with everyone else.

All in all, it is nice to see a lot of the stuff that I love finally getting a little bit of acceptance...even if half of the comic movies suck.