The rise of the black nerd in pop culture

lol

 

Its not a new phenomenon at all. We've been here for ages. Benjamin Banneker anyone? Black Americans can't be nerds properly speaking though, mainly because they're still perceived as cool (if not by degree than totally in kind). Even these African immigrants with their advanced degrees and extra-curricular activities are pretty much honorary homies. Every black nerd's been bullied at some point and yet they're still perceived as tough guys. And these mostly pacifist nerds still get along with seedy characters. Blacks are more nerd specialists. Those junior high chess players in Brooklyn are nerds about chess. Wu-Tang were nerds about Kung-Fu. Look at these L.A. based "Black Hippy" mu'fuckas (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab Soul, Jay Rock and so on) - some of them are outright gangbangers!

Now I'm definitely a fucking a geeky dipshit kinda guy at heart. But then growing up I played sports, I was dj'ing, fighting, macking on all types of biddies, etc. It took me years to discover I'm the absent-minded professor kinda guy. I'm a nerd about language, philosophy, evolutionary biology, etc. But nobody would ever know it unless I told them. I had brunch with a professor of philosophy from UNC who was absolutely astonished in my familiarity with Aristotle's four causes. Here, I'm thinking 'dude, stfu.' I find people calling me a "genius" unnerving. I figure even if you are, it kind of does genius a disservice by attempting to give it form like "ah, this is what a genius is."

The same with the world of nerdom. Usually the duality of cool/nerd is pretty liberating, because it allows you to get along with virtually anybody. But when you don't comport with 'nerd' as compared to others (white, Asian, Indian, and so on) who go about anonymous, people just assume you're either a moron or entirely new and novel.

 

whats funny white stars always ,well at least since the 90's, claim to be nerds.

blacks seem to embrace bafoonery for the longest time and if you didnt you were considered a sellout

 

I think it's great to have a variety of ways to define black male behavior other than the 'Supermasculine Menial' (sorry to dig into "Soul On Ice" for the term, but it fits the concept perfectly). I don't think black intellectuals will ever be alpha males, however. The very concept of the alpha male comes from the primitive state of nature, wherein the alpha is defined by physical superiority over other competing males, has superior access to females and monopolizes the use of violence within the herd. As primates we do have some ability to slightly broaden our concept of what is 'alpha', which usually is expanded to include charisma and ability to motivate others to accede to their wishes. I don't think we'll ever become physically superior (kind of subverts the entire idea of being a nerd, no?) or be able to rally other primates to us charismatically. But I like being the way I am. I'm cool with it.

 

Look at King or Cornel West or even or even Douglas. Big time nerds with the xharisma to motivate people

 

You're right that King and Prof. West have the ability to motivate people and lead. I don't mean garnering respect, I meant the narrow biological focus of the alpha male term, i.e. the primary male in a given population group of animals., due to the exertion of physical dominance and privileged intra-group access to females and resources. Sorry for sounding obtuse. I didn't mean to make it sound like nerds don't have charisma (esp. since I am one, lol).

 

For women with smarts, geek/nerd guys are preferred. Alpha males are high maintenance. They make good toys, but most women with a speck of maturity and intelligence would much rather spend time with creative, intelligent, funny guys. Generally, they're better in bed too.

 

Being a nerd is nothing like a being a hero, where people call you a hero, so you're a hero. Nerdiness is something you have to own.

 

STOP OBJECTIFYING MEN lol

 

When they objectify me, why shouldn't I? I haven't met a true alpha yet who didn't.

 

So two wrongs make a right now huh.
Don't complain about the action of others if you're going to do the same thing it only perpetuates the very thing you claim to hate.

 

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