Dork Rage

dork

Definition of DORK

slang: nerd; also: jerk

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I said late last month I would explain my distaste for the “nerd love” atmosphere in American pop culture today. This comes from someone firmly planted in their dorkdom since the early 80s, and has Pac-Man sweater pics to prove it.

That sweater was magic.

I don’t care what you say. That sweater was magic.

Let it be known people will want to make distinctions between nerds, dorks, and geeks but the overall idea is the same. We know who we are. I won’t argue over details, because it’s pointless. Glorifying such targets of social abuse is detrimental in the end, because a sucker is born every minute. In more recent cliché, the cake is a lie.

Maybe it’s because I’m too proud for my own good? Maybe it’s because I’m Admiral Ackbar, and smell a trap? Maybe it’s because this is a paltry concession to what was the deliberate souring of an innocuous existence? There was no reason for it, other than vying for fictitious dominion. All of it, a gigantic exercise in ugly. What’s even sicker is letting the rugged individualist take a turn at you with their self determination. That’s like me walking into your house, trashing it, and then saying clean it up to avoid “me winning.”

It’s no secret that nerds will drop bank on any collectible item he/she desires. The Comicons and auctions are proof of that. $350,000 for a TIE Fighter Miniature? Ka-blaow! Done. In this sea of expendable income, has it ever occurred to anyone that we’re simply being buttered up for the money? It’s not that we’re smart, or quirky, or often decent people. We simply have money and are being solicited by the consumerist prostitute into a quick ego boost.

Maybe others are fine with that, but it never settled well with me. Why does it have to be about money? Sure, we may have wars with hygiene, be less than attractive, have weight issues (ahem), or fall under the label of “weirdo” but I’ve met more of us that were responsible, thoughtful, creative, productive, and even more likable than society’s recreation of the cattle of Helios. We’re good people.

I suppose I am just a proud dork; I have relived one too many food chain reactions. I’m jaded, and cynical, but this whole wave of fandom still doesn’t feel right. You’re trying to use me now, like you did 25 years ago. Homie don’t play that.

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5 thoughts on “Dork Rage

  1. Most of my friends fall into this category. I guess that makes me one, too.

  2. Laura Lynn says:

    I was never a dork. No me. I read, I belonged to the Book Club, the Glee Club and I sat on the school steps reading during recess and lunch just so the bullies would leave me alone. You can imagine how well that worked.
    I did eventually figure out to deal with bullies. All it took was finding out that a punch wouldn’t KILL you and it looks worse than it feels.

    • They were creative with me. I think getting clotheslined so hard I looked like a Warner Brothers cartoon and being run over by a bike with no tires was thinking outside the box for them. It was never mano-a-mano, either, I noticed. For me, it was always the main and the “help.” Like they really needed any “help” with me. :\

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