5-The-nerds-and-geeks

TheNeedsandGeeksThereissomethingverywrongwiththesystemofvaluesinasocietythathasonlyunkindtermslikenerdandgeekfortheintellectuallycuriousandacademicallyserious.Weallknowwhatanerdis:someonewhowearsthickglassesanduglyclothes;someonewhoknowsalltheanswerstothechemistryormathhomeworkbutcannevergetadateonaSaturdaynight.Andageek,accordingto“Webster’sNewWorldDictionary”,isastreetperformerwhoshocksthepublicbybitingoffheadsoflivechickens.Itisarevealingfactaboutourlanguageandourculturethatsomeonededicatedtothepursuitofknowledgeiscomparedtosuchafreak.EvenataprestigiouseducationalinstitutionlikeHarvard,anti-intellectualismiswidespread:Manystudentsareashamedtoadmit,eventotheirfriends,howmuchtheystudy.Althoughmoststudentstrytokeepuptheirgrades,thereisbutasmallgroupofundergraduatesforwhompursuingknowledgeisthemostimportantthingduringtheiryearsatHarvard.Nerdsarelookeddownuponwhileathletesaremadeheroesof.ThesamethinghappensinU.S.elementaryandhighschools.Childrenwhoprefertoreadbooksratherthanplayfootball,prefertobuildmodelairplanesratherthanidleawaythistimeatpartieswiththeirclassmates,becomesocialoutcasts.Becauseoftheirintelligenceandrefusaltoconformtosociety’santi-intellectualvalues,manyaredeprivedofachancetolearnadequatesocialskillsandacquiregoodcommunicationtools.Enoughisenough.Nerdsandgeeksmuststopbeingashamedofwhattheyare.Thosewhodon’tstudyhardmuststopteasingthosewhodo,thebrightkidswiththickglasses.Theanti-intellectualvaluesthathavespreadthroughoutAmericansocietymustbefought.Thereareveryfewcountriesintheworldwhereanti-intellectualismrunsashighinpopularcultureasitdoesintheU.S.Inmostindustrializednations,notleastofalloureconomicrivalsinEastAsia,akidwhostudieshardispraisedandheldupasanexampletootherstudents.Inmanypartsoftheworld,universityprofessorshipsarethemostprestigiousandmateriallyrewardingpositions.ButnotinAmerica,whereaverageprofessionalballplayersaremuchmorerespectedandbetterpaidthanprofessorsofthebestuniversities.Howcanacountrywheretypicalparentsareashamedoftheirdaughterstudyingmathematicsinsteadofgoingdancing,oroftheirsonreadingWeberwhilehisfriendsplaybaseballbeexpectedtocompeteinthetechnologyracewithJapanorremainaleadingpoliticalandculturalforceinEurope?HowlongcanAmericaremainaworld-classpowerifweconstantlyputsocialskillsandphysicalstrengthoveracademicachievementandintellectualability?Dowereallyexpecttostayafloatlargelybyimportingourscientistsandintellectualsfromabroad,aswehavedoneforamajorportionofthiscenturywithoutmakinganefforttoalsocultivateapro-intellectualcultureathome?Evenifwehavethepoliticalwilltospendalotmoremoneyoneducationthanwedonow,dowethinkwecanimproveourschoolsifwelaughatourhard-workingpupilsandfailtorespecttheirimpoverishedteachers?Ourfaultliesnotsomuchwithoureconomyorwithourpoliticsaswithinourselves,ourvaluesandourimageofagoodlife.America’sculturehasnotadaptedtothedemandsofourtimes,totheeconomicrealitiesthatdemandahighlyeducatedworkforceandinnovativeintelligentleadership.Ifwearetosucceedasasocietyinthe21stcentury,wehadbetterdoawaywithouranti-intellectualismandteachourchildrenthatagoodlifedependsonexercisingone’smindandpursuingknowledgetothefullextentofone’sabilities.Notuntilthewords“nerd”and“geek”becometermsofpraiseratherthaninsultsdowestandachance.