Once upon a time there existed a magical place called The Internet where nerds in all their suspender-wearing, taped-glasses sporting glory could nestle away in the basement of their parents’ homes to build massive fantasy worlds with other certified members of the Pocket-Protector Club. The expansion of this increasingly social highway brought nerds out in flocks and, suddenly, the high-waisted shuffle morphed into a sort of tribal rain dance that dared the world to bare the inner geek. And it worked. Gone are the days of being too cool to be smart.
While some stigma may cling to the nerd world, any derogatory stereotype is fading faster than the prom queen’s bottle blonde. Social outlets like Facebook and its predecessors aid in the rapid growth of the nerd army. Wielding comics and colored pencils, swords and spell cards, the formerly oppressed is rising into a place of honor, the long-awaited, shimmering tree-topper of cool. If you don’t believe me, look around. Fan-girls and fan-boys proudly proclaim their obsession with all things nerdy. You collect comics? Awesome. Did you see the season finale of Game of Thrones? Of course! Were you at the block party this weekend? *Queue scratched record track* Um…no. I was reading/gaming/imagining the nest scenario for my Warrior Elf to battle the Troll King.
Being a nerd is gaining popularity. This is fantastic news for long-time nerds, but does it also present a problem? Is it a bittersweet rise to fame escalated by shows like Big Bang Theory? Are more people claiming nerd status simply because it has become more socially acceptable to do so? Does that alter your own outlook on the characters and worlds you’ve loved forever?
Talk to me. Tell me what you think about the nerd epidemic (if it can be viewed as such).
quaintjeremy's thoughts 
I think the recent proliferation in comic-based Hollywood movies has played a huge part in bring ‘nerd interests’ into popular culture. But in my opinion, this isn’t a bad thing. I encourage people to embrace their inner nerd and hop on the bandwagon. It can only make our culture stronger!
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I certainly agree that Marvel movies and the like have played a large role. And, yes, let the inner nerd come out to play!
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I don’t mind the nerd epidemic. If some people call themselves “nerds” just to be trendy, it doesn’t change how I live my long term nerdy life. It’s the same as old time fans of a show who would have issues with people discovering said show years after it ended. If they like the show (or if people consider themselves nerds), who cares when they began to watch it (or for how long they have considered themselves nerds)? What matters is that people are able to be respectful and civilized with one another, and refrain from having an elitist approach. Being a nerd isn’t a competition, in my view.
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Excellent point, Natacha. I don’t particularly care one way or the other as long as a person enjoys the outcome. 😉
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Well said, Candice. I heartily support the growing nerd herd. If I could show my 12-year-old self the world of today, I believe it would have helped him through some things. But then, I was the kid in high school who wore my Jedi robes (that my mother made for me) to school on the release anniversaries of the Star Wars movies. At a certain point you have to just flaunt the nerd and not care if people judge you for it. In fact, you may just find new friends that way!
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There’s something about “nerd power” that brings in the masses. Of course, I must say that my idea of nerd-ism covers many areas. Book nerds, pencil collecting nerds, My Little Pony nerds, comic nerds, shrimp scampi, fried shrimp… wait…well, you get the picture. 😉
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They even sell “I’m A Geek” t-shirts at Target… I am so grateful for the transition. Mainly because my daughter is growing less self conscious by the day. Her love of Pokemon and dragons and fantasy fiction have always set her apart from the other girls her age who want to talk about Justin Bieber and paint their nails (she’s 10 years old).
I wonder if it can also be contributed to an appreciation for what some of the “computer nerds” have given to us. I phones, internet, the list is endless. And we all love these things and depend on them.
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