Break out the black plastic-rimmed glasses, comic books and pocket protector. The nerd is back, and the mainstream media are embracing it.
Nerds are appearing all over national media. On television, viewers can catch the math nerd in the ABC Family show Greek, and with fall comes the season premiere of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? on Fox, where trivia nerds can test their intelligence against formidable grade school questions. Nerds are the stars of several returning favorites. They are the team solving the forensic mysteries on Bones on Fox and the CSI franchise on CBS, and the cast of characters on various science fiction offerings on the Sci Fi network including Eureka, which focuses on the life of a regular guy living in the world's smartest town.
The word nerd seems to convey a certain general image: someone, typically a male, who doesn't fit into the mainstream, is socially awkward at best and has a freakish intellect and disdain for those who don't understand him. But as popular shows, movies and bands are demonstrating, the nerd can be something far different from that stereotype.
Nerd
as it is most commonly defined, refers to an individual with a great amount of knowledge, typically concentrated in one area. Therefore, nerds can be divided into categories: computer nerds, math nerds, science fiction nerds and even football nerds or photography nerds.
While nerds do seem to be getting a positive spin from the media, it's not realistic, said Ohio University senior Calvin Anderson. Nerds are portrayed as the stereotypical nice-guys, bland and without much personal depth. The abilities of these nerds are grossly misrepresented by Hollywood, Anderson said.
In Hackers or Swordfish when they show hacking or networking it's more Hollywood trying to make things look sweet
Anderson said.
Junior Liz Nalepa is a math nerd. Her dad taught her math for four years in high school, and she found as she headed toward college that she wanted to learn more. Now a math major in the Honors Tutorial College who also writes, fences and belongs to a group that recreates medieval skills, Nalepa said nerdy girls have it easier than nerdy guys.
I think it's more acceptable for a girl to be bookish and nerdy just because girls have a wider variety of options
stereotypically
if they're not dominant
Nalepa said.
But Anderson praises shows like Ugly Betty, which features a female nerd in the lead role, and said society tends to be harder on females.
In terms of dating and relationships
it's more acceptable to be a male nerd
Anderson said. Society tends to be pretty harsh on females.
Anderson is no stranger to stereotypes himself. A self-described former computer nerd, Anderson used to work as a computer technician.
I used to fit the stereotype more than I do now. I would play Unreal Tournament death matches for hours
Anderson said. It's your classic computer-geek behavior.
But Anderson grew tired of the image. Now a member of a fraternity and a video production and film major, Anderson said he is still into computers, but not as intensely as he once was.
Being a nerd is often harder for younger kids, said Mia Consalvo, an associate professor in the School of Telecommunications. Consalvo and Nalepa were both considered the smart kids in grade school, and Consalvo said that stigma has an effect on children.
They were fine with being friends with you
but you were always a bit different
