Nerds and Geeks

Nerds and Geeks. You've heard these terms before, they are creating a buzz in modern society and the single story about nerds is that although they were targets of jokes and awkwardness, they are making a big imprint on mainstream media and culture.  If we look at the 80's and 90's we see that thick framed glasses and pocket protectors were not the coolest fashion accessories. People made fun of the bookworms and "weirdos" who didn't play sports or follow popular trends.  It is interesting though that today we can see pop artists trying to mimic the geeky style. Look at Taylor Swift's music video for "You belong with me" and you can see that the story is that the nerds are the underdogs. This and other recent tv shows such as New Girl and The Big Bang Theory continue to show that society has a fascination with the classic nerd. AC Nielsen ratings show that The Big Bang Theory is the 3rd highest rated tv show, and Adweek shows that it is the most expensive to advertise on… this is an indicator of the story of nerds and how they are starting to be respected and admired.

One site describes nerds as "The terms “nerd” and “geek” represent a derogatory stereotype of people who have a hard time fitting in due to an obsession with intellectual interests, physical awkwardness, or a lack of social skills" I think that everybody has some nerdiness to their personality, but most of the time we suppress our inner nerd to fit into more mainstream styles. That's why the mainstream media can share messages of nerds. We understand how it feels to not fit in, but few people really embrace the nerd style and flow.  We read stories of Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Marissa Mayer who could be called nerds and are now on top of the world.  This movement to mainstream angers some of the die-hards who don't like being in the spotlight, but would rather live in their own social bubble.  An article on Forbes tells posers to leave so that the real geeks can live their lives in peace. Although mainstream enjoys and is fascinated by nerds, it may cause some harm to their culture.

These stories can be limiting because some people don't want to stick out in the mainstream media. It also causes false stereotypes that may limit people from following their passions. Thick glasses and suspenders aren't required for passionate, smart people to get good jobs. The inner nerd can be held back due to media's perception of it. I think nerds are great and the media is causing a positive image towards them. Movies like The social Network, and Jobs also show the interest in this group of quirky, smart, nerds who have changed culture.