Nerds Have More Fun

A wise man (John Green) once said, “Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself-love it…When people call people nerds, mostly what they are saying is, ‘You like stuff’, which is just not a good insult at all, like ‘You are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness’.” That is the definition of nerd that Nerdflight operates under: a nerd is someone who unabashedly, unironically, undeniably loves something.

I’ve been thinking about how being a nerd affects one’s life. In my last post (“Too Many Kooks In the Kitchen”), I said that being a nerd makes watching Food Network more entertaining, but that was a comment in jest. In all seriousness, I think that nerdiness impacts more than a person’s TV viewing experience, it can actually improve their quality of life.

Here’s my proposition: being a nerd gives one something to care about and people to care about it with. The first part is already established in John Green’s definition of a nerd as someone who loves something. Genuine enthusiasm about something—be it video games, indie music, or balloon animal making—makes life more interesting and exciting, even if that cause seems ridiculous. Joy brought to life is still joy.

But what about the second part of my proposal, that nerdiness gives one people to nerd with? Nerds are stereotypically portrayed as loners, and the stereotype is, admittedly, based in reality. However, nerds can be quite adept at making friends. The passion for something which defines them as nerds can also unite them with others who share their love. For an example, I need only point at my cosplayer friends who have vast networks of friends and acquaintances met at cons over the years. The nerdieness often assumed to alienate people, can in fact bring them together, and since humans are social beings, those connections are a huge boost to happiness and quality of life.

So there you have it: with enthusiasm for life and people to share it with, I truly believe that nerds have more fun.

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