Wednesday 30 May 2012

Nerd World Order

This week I watched a TED talk for my podcast I do with a friend which alarmed me slightly.


Essentially a well respected psychologist thinks that all young men are gaming and wanking our generation into extinction. This annoys me for two reasons:

  1. It paints a somewhat disparaging picture of what I see as one of the most creative and amazing people groups in the world.
  2. It is partially true.
I have been thinking a lot recently about what defines us as a generation and a subculture and I hope to god it's not computer gaming and weird porn addiction.
Seriously Walowitz you can fuck off
Us nerds are more than just a socially awkward group of malcontents with more collectible figures than friends. We are a force to be reckoned with. We are gradually building our own world with its own rules, languages and customs. We are an underground movement hiding in plain sight and some of us are also female! (and awesome). Recently one of us wrote and directed one of the most profitable movies of all time.

So why aren't we known for all the amazing things we do as opposed to made into cartoonish caricatures in shows like the Big Bang Theory? Why are we letting this happen? If it's apparently now fashionable to be geeky why are we still being made fun of?
Why are there even people like this?
This week's post is a call to arms for all nerdkind. If you feel like the world is a big scary place and you're bad for being different you're only half right. We are the future you and I and the times they are a'changing. No one else appears to be taking the world and making it better so it's up to us.
This week it's time to accept that the things they tell you make you weird and strange are actually the things that define you and those things make you strong.
Do not be ashamed to be passionate about the things you love, or vehement about the things you cannot accept.
Do not grow up just because it is what's expected of you and you feel that you should step in line but grow into yourself, refining your interests into tools you can use to interact with others.
If people are worth your time they will like you for who you are. If they are not, dust yourself off and carry on.
Share the things you love with other people. We are a wide church and there is something for everyone.
Do not let the world crush the colour out of your soul, instead try to crayon the world around you. Like a 5 year old would. With a brand new box of crayons.
You are not alone.

We are the new Militaires Sans Frontières and the internet is our Outer Heaven. No matter who you are or what they say we stand with you. Also we always roll 20s to hit.

Stay Crunchy Internet

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