The Mainstreaming of Nerd Culture

"You know, nerd culture is totally mainstream now, so when you use the term 'nerd' derogatorily, 

you're the one out of the Zeitgeist" ( Ben Wyatt - Parks and Recreation).   

For those of you who don't know what "Zeitgest" means,it means "the spirit of the times."  I've noticed a trend over the years.  I see people walking around with huge glasses.  I also see some of them walking around in pants, suspenders, and ties with full on pens in the pocket.  More often than not, I even see the casual pedestrian wearing a t-shirt with some kind of popculture reference.  There are a ton of movies and television series that have come out over the last 20 years that have consisted of nothing but references to the retro and obscure.  Ever seen The Big Bang Theory?  

Hey, I didn't say that retro automatically meant good.

It's suddenly okay to be nerdy.  In fact, I might even say it's becoming popular; however,  I mean that in the loosest way possible.  The glasses have no lenses.  The ties are clip on and the pens are purely aesthetic.  That casual pedestrian has probably never seen the tv show that his or her shirt depicts in his or her entire life.  It is a sham.  

Come on man.  You can't just put on glasses and pens in your pocket and call yourself a nerd.  There are procedures to gaining this honor (and curse, if you were ever a genuine nerd in those unforgiving elementary/middle school years).  First off, looks don't matter.  

First off, are you smart?  If you are then you might just be smart.  Many of the people that I described before are not intelligent.  They couldn't find the odd answers in the back of a textbook much less find their way out of a paper bag.  

Then there is social ineptitude.  Well if you are wearing nerd gear in order to fit in, then that is a big minus.  I wear my Godzilla t-shirt because I've actually watched the movies.  Pens are placed in the pocket for sheer convenience.  Need to sign something?  Bam, it's right there.  

Last but not least, there is obsession.  Every nerd has got his or her "tick."  Mine happens to be pop culture (television, film, and cartoons), classics (television, film, and cartoons), and books (I have a fortress of Tolkien, Alighieri, Doyle, and other classics surrounding my computer.  They occupy a book case hanging over my computer.  God I hope it doesn't break.)  

Dramatization.  I don't have a lamp.  

Finally, there is my pride and joy, the Transformers franchise.  God I just love it.  I actually used to collect the toys until they were thrown out.  I now have only one left.  Since I could go on for years spouting my love for everything cybertronian and how devoutly I love it, I'll just say that I know the mythology and language of a fictional race of robots.  There you go.  I'll even type out a final message for you to translate.  

Hail Lord Primus.