February 12, 2012
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The Wrong Nerds
I have a problem with the way Nerds are being depicted in popular media.
These guys are now perhaps the most famous nerds to ever step out of the cold glow of the computer screen long enough to be seen.
But speaking as a Nerd I can say that these people are not like me :/
These guys are geniuses they have PHD’s and jobs at the top of their fields…and somehow they are also able to obsessively watch boxsets and make robots?
I’ve done at least two Battle Star Galactica watch throughs, four seasons, each episode 40 mins long and at least 10 if not more episodes per season. If you have a boxset you can’t just watch one at a time, you end up going through two or even three.
There just isn’t time then to do any theoretical physics…or get up or get dressed or basically have any kind of life other than the one securely connected to the screen, especially since after the BSG you’ve got to carry on with a bit of Fallout NewVegas because you’ve just got to see whats in the hidden vault you just found.
Basically the normal Nerds have given up real life in exchange for the virtual or imagined worlds of comics/computers or TV screens.
Of all of them Raj is the closest to the real deal, very odd socially inept and dosen’t seem to have much of a social life other than one or two inappropriately close friends.
It’s the same in any film or show, the Geeks and Nerds are in someway special or super able at something, when in reality proper Nerds are just good at being nerds, they have the power to make people uncomfortable, to glaze any eye with endless talk of games and stats.
Now I’m not saying they’d make good TV characters infact quite the opposite, but It just sometimes feels a bit harsh to see these quite frankly amazing geniuses labelled as nerds when to be honest they are pretty cool.
Comments (23)
You know, I have often thought the same thing… when does Sheldon or Raj have time to do their very challenging work? Theoretical physics and astrophysics are no joke.
Heck ya they are! I have a tiny little crush on Sheldon that I am at a loss to explain, except to say that I would find him to be a delicious challenge. I’m sad to hear that real nerds are not as cool as these guys, but I still want just once to hang out at a D&D game and try to find someone I can identify with. Smart is cool, the rest is just window dressing.
Easily one of my favorite shows, and not just so I can ogle what’shername…
Having friends who work in academia, in engineering and physics fields, I have to say that even with the most dedicated and inspiring folks, there is a level of balance that they achieve with their social lives. It’s true, BBT makes it look like they spend more time playing video games, doing D&D and stuff than what we would expect out of a bunch of physicists and engineers – but if you think about it, the show is really focusing on their social interactions with one another, and that almost always takes place OUTSIDE of the labs and their work. So one way to think about the show is that it’s focusing on a small part of the characters’ daily lives.
People have told me I need to watch that show, and I have seen one episode without the audio at a restaurant, but that’s as close as I’ve gotten. I will have to get in DVD at some point when I’m less poor and have time for it again.
And someone told me that I’m a lot like Sheldon in certain ways. Is that a good thing or not, I wonder?
I’ll just leave this here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfFd_wOQsGQ&feature=related
@lucylwrites - Yea exactly, I really admire physicists but while they do usually have the personality problems of Sheldon they rarely have anything else lol…although a few did manage to be socialites aswell.
@girlForgetful - Hahaha I love that ‘A delicious challenge’ that should be a t-shirt slogan
And yea sorry to say Nerds on the whole are a lot less over achieving…or maybe thats just me
But I think they tend to be intellegent so you should be okay on that front.
LOL the thought of a dark room filled with D&D’ers intent on their game with you sitting in the corner trying to make eye contact is hilarious
@AgainstTheWind1 - Hahaha yea it has many benefits for the audiance
@QuantumStorm - Very true…when you think about it we really only see 20mins of their lives, there’s more that can be inferred but still there is a lot fo extra time they could be using to actually work.
@Nous_Apeiron - The guy who made it also made Two and a half men…which I think is the better show. But yea it’s still an awesome sitcom and well worth a watch…with sounds
And yea there is a lot to admire about Sheldon…but if they were referring to your personality then maybe not so much
@democrab - Wow I never noticed without the laughter track how long they wait between speech, very interesting. Must be so hard to act like that.
You have a good point here. Even though the show is awesome and the characters are too, they are seen doing almost anything BUT their actual jobs and worrying too much about women (especially Howard).
I also don’t like how they always have glasses or in the case of the girl, she only becomes popular and liked after shedding glasses and getting contacts, straightening her wavy/curly hair, etc. I know nerds who don’t wear glasses, have perfectly fine social skills and even athletic. Come on media! >.<
Interesting thoughts. BBT is one of my all-time favorite shows.
Let me tell you, as a female who has loved so many nerds I can now call myself an expert, that many of the geniuses do not spend most of their time working. They have the ideas, the theories, and an engineering team to do the hard stuff! The nerds I have (and do) love DO play D&D, build crazy contraptions when the whim hits them, and follow comics books heroes like the Gods they are. That doesn’t mean they don’t work, and work hard. It just seems that when something hits them, they go like mad men. Then they coast until something hits them again. Lucky bastards. Anyway, that is just my own personal observations about the nerds I have known and loved.
Too blurry to write a good comment right now.
some nerds do balance both .
Interesting post. I think one thing people need to keep in mind also is that seeing someone from the point of view of an outside observer is very different than actually having to interact in person. (ie. On “Friends” Chandler’s constant sarcastic remarks are funny…but if you knew him in person you might want to punch him in the face.) So in that sense, the show may “highlight” the funniest moments and interactions of the group…condensed into a 22 minute episode. However, 95% of Sheldon’s daily interactions may just be very mundane and awkward.
But its interesting that there is probably some correlation between “nerdiness” and intelligence…but I always wondered how strong it would be. There are, as you pointed out, many nerds that aren’t all that intelligent (just as there are really “cool” people that are extremely intelligent). So when girls say they “nerds are sexy” what they actually mean is “smart is sexy” , not necessarily “nerds are sexy”. (And lets face it , “smart is sexy” because there will likely be some correlation with “smart” and money, power, or prestige. After all, I don’t think high school physics teachers are dominating anyone’s “most eligible bachelors” lists.
And as you mentioned, this correlation between nerdiness and intelligence is always perpetuated by the media. Heck, even the comic book guy in The Simpsons was basically a genius!
Don’t forget “The Revenge of the Nerds” – they always came back to bring havoc!
I don’t consider myself a nerd…perhaps a music nerd. But I’ve never really been into video games or sci fi.
So, if I got your point right, you’re saying they don’t reflect the *reality* of nerds, because most are simply into the games and sci fi and are really not PhD’s or doing any advanced research in science. But, wouldn’t the characters of TBBT represent the UTOPIAN nerd, the nerd ideal, so to speak?
As far as the time thing…I guess I have to echo a bit what QuantumStorm said. Yes, they probably don’t really have time to watch entire box sets of DVD’s in one sitting, but who does? The show focuses on their lives outside of work…
Bah. I ramble. I think it’s one of the greatest shows ever, and I’m REALLY picky and jaded. I avoid watching tv at all costs, and have given up on shows I’ve liked just to have more time for music. But I watch TBBT obsessively.
@xdeelynnx - Haha I think it’s the women who mostly worry about Howard :S
@wyrdkismet - Hehe yea I suppose it’s okay to have a few cliche’ every now and then but some balance would be nice.
@simplysuzu - Yea
it is so funny.
@BoulderChristina - Whow okay
I like this comment!…mainly because it has the words female and loved nerds in it 
But yea it’s a good point they are often intellegent or even geniuses and thus have a more creative and random work pattern and life
@RestlessButterfly - Hehe you really need to get a lens cloth you’re always so blurry in your photos too
Hope you’re feeling better now <3
@rilthe - Damn…guess it’s just me being lazy then
@wizexel22 - Great Comment!
Pretty much says it all really I’m in total agreement.
@KnightInCROATIANarmor - Oh hell yea!
@Unstoppable_Inner_Strength - Hahaha yea it’s pretty damn good
But yea to be honest I wasn’t exactly be totally serious with this post, I do like the interesting points of view raised in the other comments though.
And I love your Nerdtopia idea lol I guess it kind of it really, ultimate nerds are genius scientists.
Aww but you’re just a different kind of nerd ^-^ You see Love there’s a lot of sub species within us
You’re the creative kind of nerd they’re science geeks and you’re artsy, I still think you’re the most lovely nerd on Earth Happy Valentines Sweetie 
@xXxlovelylollipop - Are you talking to SaintBlue or to me?
Use the ‘reply’ button to eliminate those doubts!
@SaintBlue1131 - Nerdtopia…lol.
@xXxlovelylollipop - <3 Happy Valentines to you too
hehe and thanks thats very sweet of you
@Unstoppable_Inner_Strength - I think it was aimed at all of us Nerds lol
@SaintBlue1131 - Oh well, can I always check my videos -I’m sure I was quite clear in the videos. Clear and silly.
@Unstoppable_Inner_Strength - I bet you’re a lovely nerd too ^-^