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Can someone explain the constant reference to nerds in PG's essays? I feel like it's a concept straight out of a 1970s-90s low-budget movie and hasn't been accu

Can someone explain the constant reference to nerds in PG's essays? I feel like it's a concept straight out of a 1970s-90s low-budget movie and hasn't been accurate or relevant since...

SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
The concept was prevalent in 1970s-90s movies because it's a core part of how people who grew up in those decades (like PG) perceive the world. I suspect that he struggles to see the world without that lens applied, the same way political partisans struggle to look at things without a red vs. blue filter; it's too foundational to who he is and what he believes. (I don't mean that as an insult, to be clear. I have filters like that too, and I'm sure we all do.)
- Ar-Curunir 6y ago
  It's also quite a common factor in Scott Aaronson's writings, and equally, his blog posts would be much better if he could discard that filter at least once in a while
- lovelyviking 6y ago
  >The concept was prevalent in 1970s-90s movies because it's a core part of how people who grew up in those decades (like PG) perceive the world. What movies for instance you have in mind that you think influnced core part? >political partisans Who for instance?
  - SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
    It's my understanding that the causality went the other direction; that "nerds" were a clear youth subculture in the 60s and 70s, and this subculture inspired all of the 70s-90s movies about them even as the term "nerd" broadened far beyond any concrete set of characteristics. If you had to pick one movie that contributed the most to fossilizing the image, Revenge of the Nerds has to be it.
    - lovelyviking 6y ago
      Thank you. >I suspect that he struggles to see the world without that lens applied If you'll have to select one or two the most important and essential things to see 'without that lens', what would they be in your opinion?
      - SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
        In particular, PG's analysis of "conformists" seems heavily colored by the stereotype of jocks and other popular kids bullying the nerds. It's true that there's a set of people who try their hardest to believe what's popular in their social circles, but they aren't doing this to avoid thinking about things. In fact, I'd argue that moral trend followers almost all value intellectual thought and debate; people who don't value that don't engage in abstract discussions about society in the first place.
TrackerFF 6y ago
I'm guessing a lot of his readers somewhat identify themselves as nerds? And sad to say, quite a few of the nerds I know / knew have some raging superiority complexity going on. Same type of people that put down anyone that spent their HS or College years partying / social life / etc., rather than "perfecting" some worthwhile craft, like software development, writing, or whatever. Not saying that PG is like that, at all - but those are some of the people that flock to his writing, because PG is a successful person that's constantly validating their own beliefs about themselves. They are nerds - they made all the right decisions, and are all unique geniuses, while the normies are just stupid sheeple that waste their lives on social media or watching TV.
- ceilingcorner 6y ago
  Yeah, I get the sociological aspect, but I don't think I've heard someone use the word nerd for at least a decade. It's a blast from the past.
  - meheleventyone 6y ago
    The fact it's 2020 seems to escape a good portion of people in their 40's who still think its 2004 and that they're hip and young. I can only think this is a similar cultural ossification for older people. I know that's an issue for me because I recently got introduced to a bunch of YouTuber's with millions of followers that I'd never heard of. I actually find that level of cultural disconnect a bit worrying.
    - lovelyviking 6y ago
      > I recently got introduced to a bunch of YouTuber's with millions of followers that I'd never heard of Would you mention few as example?
closeparen 6y ago
There is a pretty clear strain of personality that shows up early in life and is suspiciously correlated with becoming a programmer. It’s rare enough that most people don’t meet others who share it until they get past K12 and start to aggregate in self-selected universities and workplaces. It’s pronounced enough to be obvious to one’s peers and often causes some degree of social alienation. In the 1970s-90s the stereotype is that such people were relentlessly bullied as losers. Since the rise of Big Tech the dynamic has shifted a bit from “you’re not one of us and we hate you, loser” to “you’re not one of us but you’re obviously going to be rich some day, so please remember us fondly.”
- pell 6y ago
  I think you're overlooking a lot of people who don't fit this description at all, yet also became "programmers".
  - closeparen 6y ago
    I said there’s a correlation, not that it’s 1:1.

Can someone explain the constant reference to nerds in PG's essays? I feel like it's a concept straight out of a 1970s-90s low-budget movie and hasn't been accurate or relevant since...

SpicyLemonZest 6y ago

The concept was prevalent in 1970s-90s movies because it's a core part of how people who grew up in those decades (like PG) perceive the world. I suspect that he struggles to see the world without that lens applied, the same way political partisans struggle to look at things without a red vs. blue filter; it's too foundational to who he is and what he believes. (I don't mean that as an insult, to be clear. I have filters like that too, and I'm sure we all do.)

Ar-Curunir 6y ago
It's also quite a common factor in Scott Aaronson's writings, and equally, his blog posts would be much better if he could discard that filter at least once in a while
lovelyviking 6y ago
>The concept was prevalent in 1970s-90s movies because it's a core part of how people who grew up in those decades (like PG) perceive the world. What movies for instance you have in mind that you think influnced core part? >political partisans Who for instance?
- SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
  It's my understanding that the causality went the other direction; that "nerds" were a clear youth subculture in the 60s and 70s, and this subculture inspired all of the 70s-90s movies about them even as the term "nerd" broadened far beyond any concrete set of characteristics. If you had to pick one movie that contributed the most to fossilizing the image, Revenge of the Nerds has to be it.
  - lovelyviking 6y ago
    Thank you. >I suspect that he struggles to see the world without that lens applied If you'll have to select one or two the most important and essential things to see 'without that lens', what would they be in your opinion?
    - SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
      In particular, PG's analysis of "conformists" seems heavily colored by the stereotype of jocks and other popular kids bullying the nerds. It's true that there's a set of people who try their hardest to believe what's popular in their social circles, but they aren't doing this to avoid thinking about things. In fact, I'd argue that moral trend followers almost all value intellectual thought and debate; people who don't value that don't engage in abstract discussions about society in the first place.

TrackerFF 6y ago

I'm guessing a lot of his readers somewhat identify themselves as nerds? And sad to say, quite a few of the nerds I know / knew have some raging superiority complexity going on. Same type of people that put down anyone that spent their HS or College years partying / social life / etc., rather than "perfecting" some worthwhile craft, like software development, writing, or whatever. Not saying that PG is like that, at all - but those are some of the people that flock to his writing, because PG is a successful person that's constantly validating their own beliefs about themselves. They are nerds - they made all the right decisions, and are all unique geniuses, while the normies are just stupid sheeple that waste their lives on social media or watching TV.

ceilingcorner 6y ago
Yeah, I get the sociological aspect, but I don't think I've heard someone use the word nerd for at least a decade. It's a blast from the past.
- meheleventyone 6y ago
  The fact it's 2020 seems to escape a good portion of people in their 40's who still think its 2004 and that they're hip and young. I can only think this is a similar cultural ossification for older people. I know that's an issue for me because I recently got introduced to a bunch of YouTuber's with millions of followers that I'd never heard of. I actually find that level of cultural disconnect a bit worrying.
  - lovelyviking 6y ago
    > I recently got introduced to a bunch of YouTuber's with millions of followers that I'd never heard of Would you mention few as example?

closeparen 6y ago

There is a pretty clear strain of personality that shows up early in life and is suspiciously correlated with becoming a programmer. It’s rare enough that most people don’t meet others who share it until they get past K12 and start to aggregate in self-selected universities and workplaces. It’s pronounced enough to be obvious to one’s peers and often causes some degree of social alienation. In the 1970s-90s the stereotype is that such people were relentlessly bullied as losers. Since the rise of Big Tech the dynamic has shifted a bit from “you’re not one of us and we hate you, loser” to “you’re not one of us but you’re obviously going to be rich some day, so please remember us fondly.”

pell 6y ago
I think you're overlooking a lot of people who don't fit this description at all, yet also became "programmers".
- closeparen 6y ago
  I said there’s a correlation, not that it’s 1:1.