enter the nerdome ramblings

Fake Nerds Roundup

You know who I’m referring to – the ones who suddenly became obsessed with comic books and sci-fi movies when it became trendy, but can’t tell you the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars.

Let’s take a look at these posers and their ridiculous attempts to pass as nerds.

  1. The “I’m a nerd because I wear glasses” poser – We all know someone who thinks wearing glasses automatically makes them a nerd. Sorry, Karen, but it’s gonna take more than a pair of hipster frames to convince us you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings.
  2. The “I’m a nerd because I play video games” poser – Playing video games is great, but it doesn’t automatically make you a nerd. Especially if the only games you’ve ever played are Angry Birds and Candy Crush. Nice try, Brad.
  3. The “I’m a nerd because I watch The Big Bang Theory” poser – Watching a show about nerds does not make you a nerd. In fact, The Big Bang Theory is more of a caricature of nerd culture than an accurate portrayal. Sorry, Jessica, but you’re fooling no one.
  4. The “I’m a nerd because I have a Doctor Who poster in my room” poser – Having a poster of a sci-fi show does not make you a fan of said show. If you can’t even name the actor who played the Doctor before Jodie Whittaker, then you’re definitely not a true Whovian.
  5. The “I’m a nerd because I wear a bowtie” poser – Sorry, but wearing a bowtie does not automatically make you the Doctor (although it does help). Unless you can recite all 13 Doctors in order, you’re not a true fan.

Just remember, it’s not about the glasses or the video games or the Doctor Who posters.

Disclaimer: I remember the 90’s where we were bullied for being nerds, where understanding computers was sooooo uncool, and how I was told I was too pretty to be a coder.

Nowadays, I see Instagram hustles that dawn fake ‘prescription’ glasses and say they’ve just signed up for a #coding #course … let’s add the #codeinpublic stuff to the mix , I love #gaming shirts, a #skinnypumpkinspicelatte, and a few #whoops I showed way too much with that pose posts to the mix and you have the perfect #nerd combo.

I’ll stop the hashtag bs but I will get to my point.. being a nerd has become popular, attracting nerds who make a buck has become an industry too. I am a female in this industry and while I am aware that I can show off my assets and gain more popularity, I choose to let my work speak for me. I choose to pave a path I’m proud of and to not make my hustle about my aesthetics. I got into this industry for the love of computers, science, and coding. I wanted a place I could turn to so I can have the freedom of being myself behind this screen.

Most times what you see is just altered by so many popular opinions and filters. I miss the days where it was all real and the community we built formed lifelong friendships that all had a similar coming up story – that we chose what we chose because of the love of it.

I know my take isn’t a popular opinion in a world dominated by social media, makeup tutorials, and faking it until you make it (or the making it being fake) but I feel as if the current trajectory of the state of the world is sad.

What’s your take? At the end of the day it’s about the passion and the love for all things nerdy. And if you’re still trying to pass as a nerd, just remember – there’s always time to start learning.

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