You're Not such a Nerd: Commodification of Nerd and Gamer Sub-culture
87 replies, posted
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7A5OgfP4NA&feature=g-all-f[/media]
I thought this was an interesting video. I would like to know what facepunches opinion of it is.
A friend of mine is a good example of both. He really needs to go out more.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/Uz4eJ.png[/img]
Hmmm...
Anyway, I would swap the nerd/geek definition used, similar to what Yahnich said.
how can nerds and geeks be commodified if nerd and geek culture is a commodification in itself? almost all geek and nerd culture related things are things you buy and use, whether it's videogames, or D&D, or books.
the failure in the analogy to native americans is that native american culture was never created to sell products, while geek and nerd culture were.
the hilariously offensive comparison to black-face also sucks. black-face was used to denigrate and stereotype black people as buffoonish, as irritated as some people might be by Big Bang Theory it really isn't comparable as ultimately you're meant to sympathize with the main characters
I can say for most of my school life up till the end of middle school I was a geek, but now I would probably just fit under the nerd column since I'm not really a pariah anymore.
This video hit the nail on the head on what the problem is with nerd culture today. I now know what to say to people if they don't understand why I really dislike Big Bang Theory or groan when people call themselves nerds for playing COD. I don't really agree with the comparison to Native Americans though or black face, since the issue isn't so much that its an exaggerated stereotype, just an inaccurate representation of the common member of the culture.
However, in a way, this perversion of the ideal has kind of had some good effects. While it's really shitty that years ago i would have been picked on incessantly for most of my daily activities, nowadays people are more okay with it and you can say you go onto forums and stuff without nearly as many weird stares.
As with many words in culture, I really feel like the old definition of nerd and geek do not really apply anymore, since we've changed its recognized meaning. It should probably be amended eventually because of it.
Facepunch:
Finding the balance between nerd and loser since forever
[QUOTE=thisispain;38133427]almost all geek and nerd culture related things are things you buy and use, whether it's videogames, or D&D, or books.[/QUOTE]
Its true but its not like they were selling it as nerd culture. Things that nerds tend to like and selling things specifically for nerd culture is two different things. Also there is more to being a nerd than buying things.
TBBT is a horrendous and unfunny show. Now, good ol' Weird Science, that was a good one.
It also shows that "Geek/Nerd Culture" has been on sale of sorts for rather long time.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;38133603]there is more to being a nerd than buying things.[/QUOTE]
i think the difference between a nerd/geek and simply a socially awkward person is the buying of commodities.
[QUOTE=thisispain;38133716]i think the difference between a nerd/geek and simply a socially awkward person is the buying of commodities.[/QUOTE]
No its obsessing over them. You could obsess over things that don't require much money if any.
I love this. It was amazing and I felt the feeling.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;38133745]No its obsessing over them. You could obsess over things that don't require much money if any.[/QUOTE]
no not really. i mean someone obsessing over pencils or bugs couldn't rationally be called part of the geek/nerd subculture.
I was discussing how this kind of shit and particularly Youtube celebrities have become mainstream with my parents last week. My sister called me a Hipster because apparently I liked it before it was cool.
I don't think it's even like Punk cultures being sold off. Any competent nerd hides their power level and doesn't give any indication of subscribing to it in public. And yet these idiots put it front and centre and not only is it infuriating to see them poorly copying it, being proud of it when it's so ingrained as something to hide is comparable to fedoras and trenchcoats.
Buying something that nerds/geeks like is totally different from some asshole in marketing going "hey, lets exploit these people"
[QUOTE=thisispain;38133806]no not really. i mean someone obsessing over pencils or bugs couldn't rationally be called part of the geek/nerd subculture.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. Bug Catchers only use Bug Types, Nerds use Poison, Electric, and Fire types.
I actually enjoy TBBT in comparison to other shows on the Comedy Network in Canada due to it's innocent nature in comparison to other shows on the channel.
I would class myself as a ~nerd~ since I enjoy science rather than focusing on computing, and learn it, and I'm hoping to go onto astrophysics as my main study. I wouldn't class myself as Geek.
But I don't see why TBBT gets so much hate. It's just a show - yes it's incorrectly displays how a life is, but so does Scrubs, which, I also adore, and any other show, really.
Shows are for entertainment, not so people can try copying the lifestyle. And those that do, there's only the very few.
[QUOTE=Jacknife;38135242]I would class myself as a ~nerd~ since I enjoy science rather than focusing on computing, and learn it, and I'm hoping to go onto astrophysics as my main study. I wouldn't class myself as Geek.
But I don't see why TBBT gets so much hate. It's just a show - yes it's incorrectly displays how a life is, but so does Scrubs, which, I also adore, and any other show, really.
Shows are for entertainment, not so people can try copying the lifestyle. And those that do, there's only the very few.[/QUOTE]
TBBT uses old stereotypes about nerds and most of it's jokes are plain references to stuff nerds like. Also canned laugther.
"what are you doing tonight sheldon?" "oh I'm going to read a comic book and play halo" [B][I]AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA[/I][/B]
I think the idea behind this is essentially "Hey, remember how we treated you like shit and totally rejected you? Yeah, uh, we're still going to stereotype you, but now we're going to use it to sell stuff. Now any teenage girl who likes highlights and is angsty at her parents can now pop the lenses out of a pair of $4 reading glasses from CVS and be as intelligent and tasteful as you are!"
[QUOTE=DiscoMelon;38135425]I think the idea behind this is essentially "Hey, remember how we treated you like shit and totally rejected you? Yeah, uh, we're still going to stereotype you, but now we're going to use it to sell stuff. Now any teenage girl who likes highlights and is angsty at her parents can now pop the lenses out of a pair of $4 reading glasses from CVS and be as intelligent and tasteful as you are!"[/QUOTE]
i dislike the assertions here
pretending that a teenage girl who likes highlights and is angsty is somehow beneath being a nerd shows how you're more concerned about having a boys club than an actual sub-culture. part of what defines a culture is how it interacts with with other cultures and if "nerd/geek" subcultures can't have a proper discourse with mainstream culture then it's going to be run into the ground pretty quickly.
punk and hip-hop survived by mutating beyond the mainstream and turning into something different, if nerd/geek subculture is something more than just sales pitches and identity politics it will evolve.
but i don't think so, i think ultimately any kind of geek/nerd subculture will die off simply because you can buy into it. a teenage girl who likes highlights and shows angst (uh which teenager doesn't show angst?) buying into nerd/geek subculture isn't any different from any other self-proclaimed nerd/geek
ultimately the guy in the OP is just doing exactly what hipsters do, lamenting the fact that their little club is losing its mysterious cool.
[QUOTE=latin_geek;38135391]TBBT uses old stereotypes about nerds and most of it's jokes are plain references to stuff nerds like. Also canned laugther.
"what are you doing tonight sheldon?" "oh I'm going to read a comic book and play halo" [B][I]AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA[/I][/B][/QUOTE]
But why should that annoy everyone - it's a show feature.
I love how 'nerd culture' is suddenly an exclusive club.
If someone wants to call them self a nerd who gives a shit.
I was about a minute into the video, was about to post [url=http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltri570Lo71r5a4cio1_500.jpg]this[/url], then it popped up on the video. Good on 'ya, video.
If you're making a video in the vain of Otakon differentiating between who is and isn't a nerd
you're definitely a nerd.
This is so much full of shit. "Gamer Culture" being a "commodity"?
Yes lets ignore that gaming culture is a multi-billion industry since the late 80's.
This video basically says "please stay out of my subculture"
[editline]22nd October 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=DiscoMelon;38135425]I think the idea behind this is essentially "Hey, remember how we treated you like shit and totally rejected you? Yeah, uh, we're still going to stereotype you, but now we're going to use it to sell stuff. Now any teenage girl who likes highlights and is angsty at her parents can now pop the lenses out of a pair of $4 reading glasses from CVS and be as intelligent and tasteful as you are!"[/QUOTE]
What people miss: This only works for people who don't know the matter and thus fall for the same shit.
If you rage about a girl buying 4$ glasses just to look smart and how she just buys in you are suggesting that reading glasses actually DO make you smart and that's superficial and just the same way the teenage girl thinks, except you use it to somehow define yourself by imposing some differece that does not exist.
"Glasses don't make you look smart because you can't look smart, smartness has nothing to do with look" really is the only valid opinion regarding this.
[video=youtube;PoLp6ves0xo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoLp6ves0xo[/video] Relevant as hell.
If you like underbelly, justin to be precise, this VID ISS FER HYUU
[QUOTE=raineko;38136317][video=youtube;PoLp6ves0xo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoLp6ves0xo[/video] Relevant as hell.
If you like underbelly, justin to be precise, this VID ISS FER HYUU[/QUOTE]
This guy is SO annoying.
[I]"All the super nerds are super nerdy super nerd nerds"
[/I]
[I]"All of the nerd shit"[/I] *jumpcut* [I]"Has become super"[/I] *jumpcut* [I]"mainstream"[/I].
[QUOTE=raineko;38136317][video=youtube;PoLp6ves0xo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoLp6ves0xo[/video] Relevant as hell.
If you like underbelly, justin to be precise, this VID ISS FER HYUU[/QUOTE]
Trying [b]way[/b] too hard.
[editline]22nd October 2012[/editline]
Him that is
Whilst a lot of what the video says I believe is true, I don't think it's particularly tragic. Some, nay, most people won't "get it" but that's fine. It's nice that now people think that video games are cool and acceptable instead of just for children or loners.
People can call themselves what they want. I don't care enough to make them validate it because it doesn't affect me.
[QUOTE=Squeaken;38135524]I love how 'nerd culture' is suddenly an exclusive club.
If someone wants to call them self a nerd who gives a shit.[/QUOTE]
Honestly, if those are the requirements to be a nerd, I would give a shit since I did go through that.
[editline]22nd October 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=thisispain;38133427]how can nerds and geeks be commodified if nerd and geek culture is a commodification in itself? almost all geek and nerd culture related things are things you buy and use, whether it's videogames, or D&D, or books.
the failure in the analogy to native americans is that native american culture was never created to sell products, while geek and nerd culture were.
the hilariously offensive comparison to black-face also sucks. black-face was used to denigrate and stereotype black people as buffoonish, as irritated as some people might be by Big Bang Theory it really isn't comparable as ultimately you're meant to sympathize with the main characters[/QUOTE]
And you ignore the Punk and Hip hop references as well. Good job.
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