Hip To Be Square

THE RISE OF THE GEEK

- Carmela Maraan Fernando

ONCE UPON a time, being called a geek or a nerd was the worst social stigma anyone could endure. It was the ultimate put-down, intended to exclude its target from normal circles. Being dubbed as such meant you were hopelessly uncool, the weirdo, the odd person out.

In fiction, the geek is a common character trope that equates being highly intelligent, obsessive, and socially awkward as the prime combination for being a social outcast, a loser. This is due to the glorification of the rebellious bad boy or bad girl persona; by contrast, the academically intelligent geek or nerd adheres to institutional norms, doesn’t always question authority unless two authorities clash, and is generally meek.

Yet the genius-level intellect is optional. If the geek is smarter than most of their peers, they’re a nerd. If not, they’re a dork or dweeb.

Timothy Shary, the author of Generation Multiplex2, succinctly explains this phenomenon. “The roles of intellectually ambitious school characters in youth films since 1980— who are portrayed as socially inept and uncouth—indicate that nerds lack the respect of their teen counterparts.”

To add irony to insult, they often get paired up with the most attractive character, highlighting their socially imposed unattractiveness. You’ll see this in shows like Back To The Future, She’s All That, Big Bang Theory, 10 Things I Hate About You, Silicon Valley, Trainspotting, Beauty and the Geek, every Woody Allen film ever, and of course, Revenge of The Nerds. Even superheroes aren’t immune to this stereotype; brilliant characters like Peter Parker, Clark Kent, Nite Owl, Mister Fantastic, Bruce Banner, and Professor Charles Xavier are all considered geeks to contrast against their cool superhero alter-ego.

But what makes a geek a geek?