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I don't care what others think about my choosing to read science fiction. But, I have always liked reading fantasy when I was really young and I like that genre still. Recently, I've been getting into science fiction and I think that science fiction books are a perfectly fine genre. From my personal experience I don't see why it would be considered nerdy to read science fiction. Is it just the stigma that goes with it?
Posts: 50 | Registered: Dec 2008
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I was considered a nerd back when I only read fantasy an wouldn't science fiction with a 10' pole (thanks EG). I always thought being considered a nerd went along with reading a lot.
Posts: 399 | Registered: Dec 2008
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Is it, in fact, considered nerdy by many? Yes. Is it wrong to attach a pejorative meaning to the term when defined in this way? Also yes. The world needs nerdy people Graff. Are you of college age yet? I'm guessing not- because by the time you're in college, your status as a nerd will most likely transform into just another facet of your personality. The Oh So Heavy and Important cultural wars of High School are abandoned in most cases by the time you reach adulthood. Movies like "revenge of the nerds" are silly because in reality, the "nerds" garner all the respect they need from the people that matter to them- the social capital of University education is much different from that of childhood.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I'm in my 20's and my peers generally exhibited a strong correlation between "reads sci-fi" and "is a nerd"
in addition, it is my opinion that, at least during my formative literary years, science fiction was the red-headed stepchild of genres, with a much much much lower overall quality and a much higher than average incidence of very sucky titles. If you were the kind of person who would read a star wars extended universe title (or whatever) between classes, yeah, you were mostly guaranteed to be pretty into it because you had to be willing to put up with a lot of chaff.
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Orincoro , yes I am in college. I am glad that the cultural wars in high school end once you're in college. I'm not really a nerd. I mean I like some nerdy things but I also like other non nerdy things. Just may I ask why is it considered nerdy? I mean science fiction is pretty fun to read.
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It is absolutely considered nerdy to read science fiction. A better question is whether being considered nerdy is really a handicap that matters to you.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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How would being partially nerdy be considered a handicap?
It's not like I can't talk to other people, or, show proper social skills around other human beings. I've learned how to interact with other people properly when I was primary education. So it's not like I'm socially inept.
I also like other books other than sci-fi books. Do people just consider science fiction books nerdy because science fiction books have a lot of science in them?
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Nerdy and cool depend on who you listen to. My social life has evolved to the point where not reading a lot (and preferably fantasy or sci-fi) gets you labelled as "boring" or even "chav." And chavs, I suppose, as cool to each other and think we're a bunch of nerds.
I read speculative fiction, and that's nerdy, but in my world, nerdy is a cool thing to be.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Colonel Graff: How would being partially nerdy be considered a handicap?
Social handicaps are very real things and even those who act the most indifferent to popular appeal definitely mold themselves based on the acceptability of their behavior to others.
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If you consider this to be science fiction, then yes, you are definitely a nerd.
the star wars books were science fiction. moreover, they are among the most commonly read science fiction.
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quote:Do people just consider science fiction books nerdy because science fiction books have a lot of science in them?
Um....Seriously, Graff, why have you only just discovered books? I'm a little fascinated by your story.
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No, Graff, because they were written by fat pimply bespactacled guys who live in their moms' basement.
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Colonel Graff: How would being partially nerdy be considered a handicap?
Social handicaps are very real things and even those who act the most indifferent to popular appeal definitely mold themselves based on the acceptability of their behavior to others.
How is it a social handicap to like science fiction?
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quote:Do people just consider science fiction books nerdy because science fiction books have a lot of science in them?
Um....Seriously, Graff, why have you only just discovered books? I'm a little fascinated by your story.
No. I've always been a reader. There have been times when I've been on and off about reading, if, you know what I mean. However, I've only started seriously reading like about two years ago. I just don't understand why sci-fi is considered more nerdy than any other genre of books.
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Why not? I thought that since people here were also into sci-fi, that, I would at least have some insight as to why it's considered nerdy. Maybe it's because of the stereotype that people who like sci-fi stuff are only geeks and just that. I just would like some deeper insight as to why they're considered geeky or nerdy other than "they just are". The sci-fi stuff I've read is pretty fun to read. I don't see why it would be arguable that all sci-fi books should be "nerdy" and just leave it at that and then people shouldn't touch them because of that.
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So, I actually just read [u]Nerds: who they are and why we need more of them[/u] which is a psychological look into the stereotype of the nerd. He specifically brings up the points that being a nerd usually involves some sort of extreme focus on something, but that the subject of that focus is important. For example, a fly fisherman who is very involved is not considered a nerd, but someone who is equally involved in D+D would be considered a nerd. The explanation for this that he invokes is that of the macho man versus the sneak. The honorable sword and bow of the samurai versus the western rifle. The parallel is that science, technology, and by association, science fiction, magic, and fantasy are granting an unfair advantage to their practitioners (even though it's only in make-believe). And for that reason, that unconscious sense of the unfair, unnatural, and cowardly ways of using technology, that science fiction is considered nerdy. Or at least that's David Anderegg's position
It's an interesting read. :-p
Posts: 655 | Registered: May 2005
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That books sounds interesting Starsnuffer. How many pages long is it? I find it unfortunate that a lot of great science fiction literature gets lost because lots of people consider them to be nerdy. I just wish people would get over the stigma.
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The wikipedia explanation is closer to what I meant. Urban Dictionary isn't always very good. Chav is a subculture here, becoming more mainstream, and it's largely based on music and clothing, not arrest records or violence. (They have different words for that.)
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Seriously, if you like it, and that means other people think you're nerdy - then you're nerdy. It's not like it changes who you already are. I'm pretty nerdy and I tend to be attracted to other people who are pretty nerdy (both for friendships and romantic relationships) and it's totally ok.
Besides, Nerds are yummy!
Posts: 1321 | Registered: Jun 2006
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I always assumed science fiction was considered nerdy because, in most people's minds (not mine!), it's nothing but descriptions of gadgets and aliens with awful characterization.
Posts: 781 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I always assumed that it was only the people who are obsessed with science fiction are considered nerdy. I like science fiction because of all of the themes that the classics of sci-fi literature have of humanity.
I think there are lots of science fiction books that are good and there are a lot of nerdy type science fiction books, yes. However, the stereotype I used to have of science fiction books was that it was just all about star wars, but, now that I've read a few science fiction books, that stereotype of mine has been erased. I think that science fiction can provide scientists with insight as to how the future is going to be like and that science fiction can be really clever at times.
Posts: 50 | Registered: Dec 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Colonel Graff: I think that science fiction can provide scientists with insight as to how the future is going to be like and that science fiction can be really clever at times.
I'm asking seriously: Are you a plant of some kind?
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:I always assumed that it was only the people who are obsessed with science fiction are considered nerdy.
No. You can be considered nerdy without having ever cracked the spine of a book.
Okay, that's true but that's not my point. Why do people have this inherent bias against science fiction? It seems like people just have this dislike for smart or otherworldly things.
I apologize if I'm thinking about this too much. I've just never understood why people have these stereotypes of things. Maybe there are people who fall under that stereotype but I mean I'm perfectly normal for the most part but I like some abnormal things and I see nothing nerdy about liking sci-fi stuff. Maybe it's that since I like science I don't see a problem with it.
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How did you make it through high school, Graff, without coming up with your own answers to these questions?
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Tom doesn't normally insult people pointlessly. But in this case, he's not really trying to insult you. I think he's actually quite interested in your persona, and he's asked you several times about yourself, because he doesn't get how you arrived at your present mode of thought so late in adolescence. I had the same thought, and I think Tom and I both assumed you must be very young to not have resolved your feelings about these questions already. It's a valid question, because most everyone here (some of them younger than you) don't feel the need to ask these questions. It's okay to ask, but it's surprising that you have.
quote: The wikipedia explanation is closer to what I meant. Urban Dictionary isn't always very good. Chav is a subculture here, becoming more mainstream, and it's largely based on music and clothing, not arrest records or violence. (They have different words for that.)
This is a little confusing to a foreigner who has lived in England. In my experience, there is a ton of enmity towards Chav culture for being degenerate, encouraging teen pregnancy and irresponsibility, wanton violence and amorality. From what I personally witnessed, Chavs were just off-putting, and occasionally anti-social (such as in restaurants or on trains). Some of the things I saw were thoughtless destruction and vandalism of public property, yelling, staring contests with non-chavs, and a lot of strutting around like peacocks. I never had a personal problem with anyone, but I can see how Chav culture wears on people's nerves. What makes you think it is moving towards a greater legitimacy? (I ask out of plain curiosity).
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To put it into perspective: imagine you are a regular on a forum dedicated to a specific variety of apple. Someone arrives who posts: "Hey, what does everyone think about apples? I just had an apple the other day, and I think it was really good despite my not liking apples much when I was younger. I know some people think only dorks eat apples. What do you guys think about that? I guess I've only just started thinking about apples."
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Yeah, I don;t think Tom meant to be insulting. When he DOES, you'd know it. Honestly he just seemed interested in what you would say. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: To put it into perspective: imagine you are a regular on a forum dedicated to a specific variety of apple. Someone arrives who posts: "Hey, what does everyone think about apples? I just had an apple the other day, and I think it was really good despite my not liking apples much when I was younger. I know some people think only dorks eat apples. What do you guys think about that? I guess I've only just started thinking about apples."
I see what you're saying. I understand why people think science fiction stuff is nerdy. I however see nothing wrong with people liking to read about science as I believe science is the answer to just about anything. But, my question is, why people got into believing that ANYONE who reads science fiction must be inept, or, socially handicapped and the sorts. Was it all because of starwars and that whole nerd culture thing? If we did without the part of the nerd culture with starwars and startreck I think people would probably see science fiction as less nerdy and more amazing. I just love science fiction because I like how authors can use words to help you picture what other worlds look like, to predict future technology, and, just the fact that science fiction books are much better than sci-fi movies.
Posts: 50 | Registered: Dec 2008
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If I understand correctly, Tom's saying you're asking the wrong people. The ones who already know that being "nerdy" (meaning "reading science fiction" here, I guess) is not "wrong". We're not agreeing with you; you're late to the party, and agreeing with us. Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Why do people think jocks don't like to read?
Why do people think rich girls are snotty?
Stereotypes are the natural result of our need to categorize and understand. People generalize because it's easier than not doing so. I don't even mean it's laziness, although laziness can prevent questioning stereotypes. It's just the way people are wired to understand others: figure out what bucket they're in.
posted
I'm gonna not read the thread and jump to the obvious conclusion.
Yes, Science fiction is nerdy, all things it leads to is Nerdy, also D&D is nerdy and so to all thing it leads to infact theres a flow chart somewhere.
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Honestly he just seemed interested in what you would say. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
