Throughout time, the people who stood out from the norm were ridiculed, humiliated, and even bullied. There was an unprecedented distaste for those people who act a little stranger than others, and like things that the majority just didn’t get. It was seen in television, in movies, and in books, where the groups known as the nerd and the geek were outcasts, shunned, and made fun of. Despite the existence of other subcultures like the goths, and the stoners, it was the nerd that had the weight and and the culture impact that the people in the new millennia would learn to embrace and emulate. And now, the line between the pop culture world and the geek world, is near nonexistent as more and more people embrace the glasses and the suspenders. And I am the first to admit. Glasses. They are sexy. On the ladies.
What was once considered nerdy, and geeky, like Star Wars, Star Trek, video games, fantasy novels, quirky movies, and Weird Al Yankovich (well, maybe that’s still relegated to the “true” nerds), has now found it’s way into everyday, mainstream culture. No longer to be enjoyed by the socially awkward, it is now cool to be geeky and “weird”. People may not know how to fix their computer, or understand the humorous nuances of Monty Python and UK culture, but it is now socially acceptable to have a Ninendo controller as an iPhone cover, wear a vintage Doctor Who shirt, or to be able to recite Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Even things once coveted by the nerd, like the cake being a lie, or that all their base are belong to us, can now be lauded by the hip.
It has not penetrated all of pop culture, but it is easy to see that the line is blurring. Technology is becoming pervasive amongst all people, as more and more individuals buy smart phones and video game consoles and tablets. People understand the power of tech, and it’s appreciation isn’t relegated to the few who understand programming languages, but to your mom, and pa, and gran. With the popularity of the iPhone and the growing budget and quality of video games, more and more people are biting for the chance to have the latest and greatest, not just the engineers. Science has found it’s importance again, as people like Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye have grown in popularity and notoriety. People listen when there’s a talk of driverless cars, people pay attention when a rover lands on Mars, and people are finding the value of chemistry in shows like Breaking Bad. Well, maybe not the meth making part, but just how badass chemistry can be. But one can say it odd that two generations ago, when people were going to the moon, science and space exploration was a nationwide phenomenon, and then no one cared for decades. Now it is a “thing”. Maybe science is not a just for the scientist, but really a fad that people seem to get into every once in awhile. Telescopes and microscopes used to be cool.
With all this meshing of all that is geek and the rest of the world, the nerd community has responded, sort of, in how it sees this brave, new world that is forming in front of them. The “extremists” have formed their own communities and alliances in a, not so hidden, hidden network of fandom and obsession. The underground geek is now on the rise, where those looking to keep what is quirky and unusual to themselves. And even that underground is rising to the surface as comic books are being turned into movies, the Trekkers find a reboot in their franchise, and the Bronies are finding themselves in every facet of society. The “average” nerd, is no longer unique. What set’s the geek apart now is the growing communities of different.
Even the hipsters are having a hard time being hipsters, as what was once hip is now normal, and what once was thought unique for unique’s sake are now part of every day life. It almost seems as if the nerd is losing their identity as corporations see the profit in the comic book heroes, video game references, and Game of Thrones. The regular population eats it up more and more each year as you see more and more big budget SciFi and Fantasy films. Star Wars was the catalyst, making swords, blasters, and space ships cool. Tights and robots became okay with the Avengers. Magic and wizardry is fine with Harry Potter. And even the abysmal Twilight series brought a resurgence in the myths of vampires. Soon, there may be no such thing as “nerd” or “geek”. Just widely accepted otaku, Bronies, LARPers, and more.
Reading is cool again as Harry Potter kicked it off, and the Hunger Games kept it going, and A Song of Ice and Fire really brought it into the mainstream. Well, reading was never really, not popular, but these books brought the fantasy genre clout.
Do nerds need to have an identity? Does it matter that anime, comic books, Star Wars, roleplaying, and cosplay is growing in popularity? Do nerds and geeks need to stand out anymore with the rest of society saying, it’s okay to be who you are? Though the line separating the “regular” world and the “nerd” world is fading, will there ever be a day when it’s completely indistinguishable in modern society? Will this even last?
It took decades to get to this point, and knowing society, there may be another subculture to pick at and ridicule, but hopefully not. With the kind of community and acceptance each new generation is learning, we may actually reach a harmony where everything and everyone can be accepted. We will eventually become part of a cohesive whole where our interests and our knowledge won’t differentiate us. We as a people can learn from each other, grow from our fandoms, and maybe even find common ground for all of us to stand on. And when it is all said and done, there will be no nerd, no geek, no hipster, just people. And all we’ll have left to truly judge us, will be our looks. It always goes back to looks. Superficial….grumble….grumble….
