Since I just got back from visiting my boyfriend in Pittsburgh, I thought that I would discuss the phenomena of nerds. He is currently a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University studying Electrical and Computer Engineering; it doesn’t get too much nerdier than that (in respect to society’s view of what qualifies as nerdy). Now, he’s not wearing a pocket protector, having his slide ruler attached to his hip or lacking social skills but by his field of study, people might jump to these conclusions. People interested (and good at) science/engineering have a nerdy image of themselves painted by society through shows such as “The Big Bang Theory”, “Beauty and the Geek” and “Freaks and Geeks”.
Personally, I find “The Big Bang Theory” incredibly clever and amusing for all sorts of people. The show tells the story of four friends who work at Cal Tech; Leonard and Sheldon are physicists who live next door to very attractive and very “normal” Penny. While the four guys spout on about video games, comic book heroes and physics, Penny brings pop culture and every day things into their lives. All four guys seem content with the lives they have, minus not being able to date as many women as possible; overall they seem content with the identities they’ve established. However, these identities, and how they interact with Penny’s non-geekiness and other every day occurrences is what makes the show entertaining. Sheldon and Penny
“Beauty and the Geek” is a reality show that pairs up a smart geek with a less than intelligent beauty and has them work together. To my knowledge, the geeks get make-overs at the suggestion of their beauty counterpart. Since I haven’t actually seen this show as much as “The Big Bang Theory” I can only guess that geeks are portrayed as things/people to be fixed. This doesn’t portray them in a very positive light at all, implying that geeks need to be fixed in order to be compatible with pretty girls. It also shows the women as airheads because they are beautiful, perhaps implying that a person cannot be beautiful and smart.
Movies such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings have hoards of followers who are considered geeks and nerds; perhaps it’s because some of them dress up and know the books, stories, characters and directors thoroughly, but people who camp out for tickets, dress up, chat in online groups, and write fan fiction about characters tend to get a bad reputation for being nerdy. They are passionate about something, it’s not harming anyone, so what’s the harm? I think it’s a big part that society wants us all to be similar and anyone who sticks out, is an oddity to people and could be labeled as such.
As a person who has gone to midnight showings of three of the above mentioned films, I have learned to embrace the nerd and geek within me. To me, if I’m passionate about something and it shines through as nerdiness, than let it be that way. I’m passionate about English and band; label me an English major or a band geek, I know what I enjoy and why it’s important to me. I think that’s something that society may forget; that people who could be labeled geeks/nerds are passionate about what they love. Maybe it’s not politics, sports or cars, but everyone has a passion.
This month Cosmopolitan magazine says that one of the “6 Trends on the Rise Right Now” are Loveable Nerds. This section says that, “they’re everywhere! First Adventureland featured an awkward Jesse Eisenberg. Now I Love You, Beth Cooper brings us Paul Rust as a goofy nerd in love with a classmate, and Year One reunites Michael Cera and Christopher ‘McLovin’ Mintz-Plasse from Superbad. Sorry alpha-dudes” (27). If Cosmo is making lovable nerds a trend, then maybe society can start portraying geeks and nerds in more favorable fashions.
Citation:
White, Kate, ed. "Hot Sheet: 6 Trends on the Rise Right Now." Cosmopolitan July 2009: 27.
If you're interested: The Nerd Handbook
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Anna, Anna, Anna, you are too funny! (We're friends Thom Swiss). I couldn't agree with you more that people today are starting to embrace these "lovable nerds" more than they have in the past. I mean, look at the show, "The O.C."; Seth Cohan, who is super hot and sexy, is a super nerd in the show, yet he's one of the most admired and loved characters! I remember when the show first came out my freshman year of college, this girl that was in my nursing class said she HAD to watch the show...only for Seth Cohen though. She claimed that if he wasn't in the show, she wouldn't watch it. And look at what happens to him...he gets the girl in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis can also be seen, to a certain extent, in the show "Friends." Ross, a paleontologist (let me just say real quick - snore bore), ends up with Rachel, who is arguably one of the most beautiful women of our time. One of my older male cousins used to say that Ross was his idol because he's such a dork, yet he ends up with the hot chick.
I definitely have to say Anna, the way in which nerds were depicted in the past has definitely evolved. In essence, they're becoming more loved! (However, I'm not sure if this is as true in reality, unfortunately).