SuperEpicGuy
Banned
Hating minorities? Since when was this or anything misogynistic related to nerds? I have a couple of nerd friends and never did any of those topics ever come out.
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When did nerds become really shitty people?
- Thread starter sn00zer
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SolicitorPirate
Member
Gamergate is a sustained hate campaign against feminist women in the game industry that was born from gaming/nerd culture and whose footsoldiers are largely drawn from gaming nerds.
Sad puppies is a similar anti feminist movement in the sci fi community.
And while the comic fandom doesn't have a name or event to attach to its undesirables, that fandom has a long history of problems with women and minorities.
Citadelofmythoughts
Banned
To be honest, what you're seeing is more reddit, the chans and Gamergate. The loudest, most annoying voices can seem like the majority sometimes.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
The rise of Popular Culture has driven the rats to the forefront.
SolicitorPirate
Member
Even if they aren't a majority, it certainly says something about nerd culture that we a) fostered an environment that allowed this to grow b) are so fucking inept at dealing with them.
Also why this may be an overall net positive in general, the "You're great! Love yourself! You're awesome the way you are!" culture online probably plays a big role in turning the reaction to a rejection from "maybe I should work on myself" to "WOW ALL WOMEN ARE BITCHES" (which is something I've ACTUALLY GENUINELY HEARD from a former high school acquaintance when we ran into each other at uni a few months back).
Like it is genuinely good that people are trying to make a nicer environment online and get people to like themselves but some people just take it the wrong way, and that sucks.
Like it is genuinely good that people are trying to make a nicer environment online and get people to like themselves but some people just take it the wrong way, and that sucks.
Soltype
Member
I thought people in general didn't like them.I just read some stuff earlier on the situation, I didn't know gamers had a problem them.I assumed people didn't like them because of their work ability, but it seems there's a lot sexist stuff going on.
I really like this statement.
Yeah tbh if you have an account on this site you're pretty nerdy already lol. The problem is when people don't have anything going on in their lives apart from video games - it's just not a healthy lifestyle and sometimes leads to a lot of bitterness, which is sad.
SolicitorPirate
Member
You might like it, but that doesn't make it correct or even helpful.
Especially when nerd fandoms are known to ascribe personal and communal identity around their fandoms.
Admiral Woofington
Member
Being geeky/nerdy is not inherently bad if you admit it to yourself and can still have a social life.
Werewolf Jones
Gold Member
They got mad that being a "nerd" became cool and lashed out at whoever they could.
You Are Viewtiful
Member
But... if we're talking about young nerds, then they were already born into the "nerds are cool" culture and wouldn't know any different.
blame space
Banned
Probably when they got too many swirlies!
Well, any one facet of society will give you a skewed perception of society. The Internet is by far the most ubiquitous form of social interaction in this day and age.
Damerman
Member
I always feel such a strong sense of embarrassment when i see that shit... How on earth do you cosign that shit unless you are completely oblivious to human history or just refusing to acknowledge history. I remember in my british literature class where we read virginia wolf stuff and more notably jean rhys' "A wide sargasso Sea"(i related to this mostly because it was very detailed in its depiction of creol and west indian culture, which im a part of) i came to feminist conclusions on my own! It's all the way after near the end of my college years that i was fully exposed to femenism... Like its just fucking natural to be femenist. And then to do the polar opposite of what should come naturally is just... repulsive.
radios shipping overview
Member
Plenty of nice, friendly, wonderful nerds out there.
The internet has a way of facilitating hyper-specialized communities that allow certain schools of thought to be focused and refined and developed over time. A few such communities are scooping up a lot of sad-sack socially-disadvantaged nerds and giving them some really toxic narratives to focus on and draw strength and validation and purpose from. It sucks, and it's sad and gross.
The internet has a way of facilitating hyper-specialized communities that allow certain schools of thought to be focused and refined and developed over time. A few such communities are scooping up a lot of sad-sack socially-disadvantaged nerds and giving them some really toxic narratives to focus on and draw strength and validation and purpose from. It sucks, and it's sad and gross.
TatteredHat
Member
The term "nerd" is too nebulous to attribute character traits to, really.
I don't think it's that nerds are shitty people, I think a disproportionate amount of shitty people happen to be nerds. Games and comic books are generally isolated activities that have historically catered heavily towards straight white males in terms of content and marketing. They fit within the world view of the privileged asshole. Games and comics didn't necessarily create the shitty assholes, but they did give them a place to stay. GamerGate and all this other shit is happening because racism and misogyny is starting to be challenged a lot more in these areas. It's like turning on the lights and watching the cockroaches scatter.
Seriously.
I've started to see all the social issues going on right now, not just with nerds, as something sort of reactionary to the culture of 10-15 years ago which in retrospect was kind of complacent to social issues. Or maybe that's just what my view of the situation back then was. Maybe Obama getting elected really did change some shit by bringing out some people's fears and that just filtered into the nerd space. Maybe it's the current generation of millennials finally reaching an age where they're willing to voice their social concerns on the world stage.
In any case, as a result you now have a lot of non-straight/white/male people who happen to be nerds finally making themselves known, which is causing other nerds who can't see past their own pain from years of persecution say "where did all these other nerds come from?!"
In any case, as a result you now have a lot of non-straight/white/male people who happen to be nerds finally making themselves known, which is causing other nerds who can't see past their own pain from years of persecution say "where did all these other nerds come from?!"
excelsiorlef
Member
Or they're just sexist/racist assholes because a lot of toxic nerds are like in their early 20s.
Didn't any of you watch Revenge of the Nerds? The innocent, lovable main character literally date rapes a girl, which is totally fine, since he's an Intellectual Nice Guy, not a Misogynistic Jock.
The Nerd Identity constructed by the various entertainment industries have for a long time had these problematic elements.
The Nerd Identity constructed by the various entertainment industries have for a long time had these problematic elements.
I've never noticed nerds having a higher proportion of shitty people or anything. Do you guys watch the news and see all the kinds of things have a high approval rate in the general population?
Obviously. If you yourself are nerdy and are looking at nerdy stuff on the internet, you'll notice a lot of shitty nerds.
Obviously. If you yourself are nerdy and are looking at nerdy stuff on the internet, you'll notice a lot of shitty nerds.
Damerman
Member
My god, what a perfect post. Especially that last sentence.
Yep. There comes a point when no amount of videogames/anime can soothe the pain and hate anymore.
Chairmanchuck
Member
What if its moe moe kyun kyun kawaii o(^_^)o anime?
sleverfunk
Member
This thread reminded me of this vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO4FpYQa41Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO4FpYQa41Q
I guess the thing is that these people have always existed but now they conglomerate and have loud voices on the internet. When trolls create this like GamerGate these people latch right on.
The opposite is also true of course. I mean I'd consider 99% of regular GAF posters nerds and this place is ok.
As far as I'm concerned I'm a nerd, most people I've been close friends with in my short life have been nerds and things have seemed pretty normal to me.
The opposite is also true of course. I mean I'd consider 99% of regular GAF posters nerds and this place is ok.
As far as I'm concerned I'm a nerd, most people I've been close friends with in my short life have been nerds and things have seemed pretty normal to me.
Benzychenz
Member
There's always been those kinds of people. They just sit behind their computer screens so you never see them in real life.
The internet has given them the opportunity to voice their shitty opinions.
The internet has given them the opportunity to voice their shitty opinions.
Wait we're not allowed to like revenge of the nerds anymore? Man.
In any case I think the Internet just exacerbated everything. Literally everything. The people you need to one-up have grown exponentially. You could be the nerd of the group if you watched Akira that one time, now you need to at least not have left your parents' basement for three consecutive weeks while you berate people in a high pitched voice for being afk to take a toilet break during a six hour raid, and what little sleep you get is spent humping your kill la kill body pillow. And this is what other nerds look up to and feel they should emulate before staking a claim with their own added weirdness.
It's a constant strive to be heard above the rabble, everything is in absolutes and hyperbole, see also GAF. Considered takes get ignored and everyone piles on the fucktard by being even more of a fucktard.
Basically the whole world turned into the USA.
Earthpainting
Member
I was a little surprised to see no punchline towards the overall message of the comic, making me think it was meant to be taken seriously. It does kind of tie into what I suspected though. That a lot of these people feel like their identity was hijacked a bit. Spending your evenings on a computer, fiddling on gadgets, or playing video games used to be reserved for the nerdy folk, and these things have pretty much morphed into the mainstream. You saw a huge amount of resentment prop up for other demographics with the DS, Wii and mobile industry, which the comic illustrates. Catering to other needs probably pokes at the insecurities of some, making them feel like less stuff will be targeting them specifically.To some, this explains it a bit, replace gamers with nerds.
Again, to some, not all.
I hope we're simply in a transitional phase with this type of stuff. The old nerd/geek identity is eroding, and the only outcomes are that the next generation of nerds will have to find a new thing to base their persona around. Either that or they'll get absorbed into other subcultures. I'm interested in seeing some demographical statistics on the ages of the bad apples mentioned in the OP.
What's a nerd? People called me a nerd when I was young and I don't get why. I don't like comics, anime, superheroes and I'm not into video-games anymore. I might enjoy some things like that if they're good but I'm not obsessed with them. I'm extremely asocial so maybe that's why. Even nerds have other nerds friends.
Actually most people on the internet are also people in real life
But yeah every "culture" or group is gonna have vocal extremists. I'd like to think you're just hearing a vocal minority
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
It was a tongue in cheek joke.
Lol speak for yourself. Video games have been awesome for the last 20 years. Nothing changed.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
It'll always depend on the nerd you happen to be talking to. Some of them are fine, some of them are 4 chan wierdos.
I'm betting you knew a kid you didn't like who did strange stuff even back in your halcyon days.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
When internet anonymity became a thing.
thetrin
Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
They grew up and realized that they weren't going to inherit the earth. They needed to be well rounded individuals, which they never became. All the nerdy things they were into were great and all, but they needed to be able to be social with others and play by established rules to succeed in life.
They never had to before, because instead of learning how to interact with people not like them, they formed groups consisting of people just like them.
All of a sudden it hit them like a ton of bricks, but instead of working up the social skills they didn't develop growing up, they blame everyone around them, tricking themselves into believing that the world should work for them and value them for what they have.
The same thing happened to the super popular who peaked in high school.
This, of course, is not all nerds. Most normal nerds grew up, learned social skills, developed additional, more varied interests, and grew as people to be able to function in the real world.
They never had to before, because instead of learning how to interact with people not like them, they formed groups consisting of people just like them.
All of a sudden it hit them like a ton of bricks, but instead of working up the social skills they didn't develop growing up, they blame everyone around them, tricking themselves into believing that the world should work for them and value them for what they have.
The same thing happened to the super popular who peaked in high school.
This, of course, is not all nerds. Most normal nerds grew up, learned social skills, developed additional, more varied interests, and grew as people to be able to function in the real world.
Oh whew, you were emulating Lime right?
CassidyIzABeast
Member
Everybody is a "nerd" about something nowadays.
Ah yes. That homogenous organidation of nerds.
Listen. Not only is every nerd an individuum, there are different groups of nerds to every topic. A Star Wars nerd isn't necessary an anime nerd who isn't necessary a firearms nerd who isn't necessary a train nerd and so on. Furthermore all these groups have different waves, but no nerd belonging to those groups has to match them, especially since most people are more than just a nerd or just a nerd of one thing.
Listen. Not only is every nerd an individuum, there are different groups of nerds to every topic. A Star Wars nerd isn't necessary an anime nerd who isn't necessary a firearms nerd who isn't necessary a train nerd and so on. Furthermore all these groups have different waves, but no nerd belonging to those groups has to match them, especially since most people are more than just a nerd or just a nerd of one thing.
Am I supposed to excuae myself for being upset about being broadly generalized?
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
I've never seen anyone care about nerdiness outside of high school.
I really wish that stupid meme of "anonymity makes people shitty" or "anonymity gives people the disguise they need to act shitty" would die already. It isn't true at all. Just look at what garbage people post on Facebook. With their real names right next to it.
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