This is great time to be alive. Society is technology driven, Nerd Culture is chic, and we live in a society that resembles something that would’ve been considered science fiction a couple of decades ago. This should be an especially glorious time for Blerds because we’re finally getting our shine. Adam Bradley’s article, “The Black Nerds Redefining Culture” highlights our impact quite well. With all the wins that we’ve earned, we have a small but vocal group of Blerds who seem to be unhappy. Why is that?
No Really…You Won
I’m in a few social media Blerd groups they all seem to have a small but vocal group of misery peddlers. The majority of their gripes center around being bullied or ostracized in high school over the fandoms that they embraced…or Laura Winslow shunning Steve Urkle. What’s the point of joining a group filled with Black people who like the same fandoms that you do then whine about the Black folks who didn’t? Every Blerd generation had their trauma’s to deal with while growing up. But every generation made some progress in defining pop culture each time. Lighten up folks, you’ve found your tribe…you’re at the 21st Century cool kids table now. People defer to you when it’s something related nerd culture…because they genuinely want to know. We have more Black Heroes and characters on the TV & movies than ever before. Black creative talent has created a ton nerd content ranging from comics to role playing games. It goes without saying that the theatrical release of Black Panther turned everything up to 11. Look around you…the tech we have now was SciFi when we were kids. Now the folks that used to ask, “WTF is the Internet?” finally see the light. In recent years, Blerds have become legion at *Cons. For a frame of reference, check out the photo shoot pictures from Black Geeks Of DragonCon. The Blerd participation keeps growing each year. Hell, BlerdCon is tailored to showcase Blerd culture and I highly recommend attending it. Blerds have always been around 30 years ahead of everybody else…embrace that shit.
The Harsh High School Hierarchy
Remember this quote? “It’s a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school.” – Ferris Bueller. Yeah, dude was telling the truth. High school is that time in life our hormones override our critical thinking. When think we know everything and don’t know shit. Where we want “freedom” but none of the responsibility & accountability that goes with it. One thing that becomes quite clear is the more freedom a group of average people is given, the more they choose to fall into group think and act like each other. Blerds are unique in that we don’t fit in any box other than the boxes that we create for ourselves…which is what we do enthusiastically. This left us facing disdain on two fronts. The fronts of being too nerdy for Black people & not stereotypical enough for white people. Many found it perplexing that Blerds were into nerd fandoms or had the nerve to be smart enough to outperform them in AP classes. Black people accuse Blerds of trying to be white while white people accuse Blerds of trying to copy them. Ain’t that some shit? But fandom aside, many of us were socially awkward & did things that the rational among us now find cringe worthy. Saiyan screaming in the cafeteria wasn’t going to win you any points. Nobody wants to hear you making power barf sounds while they’re trying to have lunch.
The Self-Defeating Paradox
One of the most annoying statements that I’ve read in these Blerd social media groups is, “Black girls/boys didn’t like me because I liked Anime.” Which is bullshit. Growing up, biggest mistake that countless Blerds made was seeking companionship from the wrong demographics. Seeking out the cheerleaders, jocks, & “popular” kids instead of each other. Unfortunately some of us continue to make this mistake well into adulthood and carry the baggage of high school bitterness with it. That’s where we get the “Black Men/Women don’t date Blerds.” Which is bullshit too. There are plenty of Blerds who don’t have issues getting dates. Hell many have gotten married…to other Blerds. Some Blerds overcompensate by thinking acquiring expensive things will make them more attractive to the demographics that they should’ve forgotten about long ago. I’m speaking from experience on that one…that shit is unnecessary. That being said, it’s not all gloom & doom for Blerds, but adjustments have to be made.
Let Go Of High School & Live Life
Friends, you need to come to terms with this important thing: Outside of college admissions boards, people who have done anything significant in their lives don’t give a shit about high school after graduating. Especially those who go to college. So let that high school bullshit go…especially after you’ve reached drinking age. Blerds are a cultural force…it’s even more apparent if you go to an HBCU and meet at least three other versions of yourself. You realize that the Blerd demographic is a lot larger than you thought. The world is no longer against you…hell the world has been copy-n-pasting from you for over a decade. It can be frustrating to be shunned for your social awkwardness but get some therapy and learn some social graces…seriously. Consult a life couch (or life coach YouTube channels) and follow through on their advice. Hell…go to a *Con and you’re liable to make the connection you’ve been looking for. I’m not saying completely change who you are, just make some minor adjustments to get better results.