“God, you’re such a nerd!”

I’ve heard and read this term countless times in relation to myself. The strange thing about this is that I’ve never ever heard it used for its intended meaning. “Nerd” has become a word in our culture that has been perverted beyond what it originally meant. What exactly does that mean? Well, the original meaning for “nerd” was a derogatory term for overly studious or socially inept people. The term originated from 1950’s and in more recent years has evolved to a meaning that’s less insulting and more of a term of endearment.

Knowing this, one could imagine my confusion when someone called me such a scandalous name over my sketchbook. I was just doodling my usual things. Surrealist imagery, cats, and fish people. Y’know, normal artist things. I looked up at my friend sneaking a peek at what I was drawing. I looked to her with a furrowed brow.

“Excuse me?” I asked. To which she simply repeated.

“Yeah, that’s nerd stuff.”

I was so puzzled. It felt like an insult, but the tone of her voice sounded happy. I thought about it for a while before I came to a realization: The word “nerd” is tossed around like candy nowadays. Think about it. Do you like a certain cartoon? You’re a nerd. Are you passionate about something? You’re a nerd. Do you like, anime, games, or all of the above? You just earned yourself some poindexter glasses. At least that’s how it used to be. Instead, nerd seems to be more a cumulative term for those who share interests in nonconventional things and the audience for those things begins to the grow. At that point, the approach the cusp of turning conventional. I would know, for am part of this collective “nerd” hivemind.

With all this positive connotation, it feels almost daunting to me how the word is used more for “nerdy” things over describing someone with only a 4.0 to their name and never knowing the touch of a woman (or man). Does that necessarily make the perversion of the word “nerd” to be a bad thing? I think not. Back in the day, liking something like Dungeons and Dragons for example would earn you a few weird looks. Back then, it was still a big niche, and still is depending on who you ask. However, a game like that has blown up in popularity thanks to a generational shift. What was once considered “nerdy” is now mainstream, which can be considered a big accomplishment for those looking to get into something or find more people who share the same interest.

This can be drawn back to art, and why my friend called my fish people “nerd stuff.” I like a bunch of fantasy things. Does that make me a nerd by association? Possibly, I couldn’t really tell you while I was in my state of contemplation. However, now that I’ve done more research and self-searching, I believe I have a concrete answer.

Yes, I am a nerd. I am not a nerd in the traditional sense, however. A nerd used to be someone who was smart and nothing else. A nerd used to be a caricature. A nerd is now someone who has passion for what they love. Knowing this new cultural advancement with the term, it can help put a perspective on whether or not you want to be a nerd. Nerds now are intelligent, passionate, and have revolutionized the world with the things that they thought up. It’s no longer bad to be a nerd so people, including myself, can rest easy knowing that we’ve adopted this new definition of the word “nerd.”