By all accounts I’m still fairly new in the nerd community. Prior to beginning this blog nearly two and a half years ago, I hadn’t even known there was a nerd community. Sure, I’d had friends who liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed (in my middle school years). However, I hadn’t realized there was anything beyond that. What I found was a community that prided itself on community, inclusion, and respect.
Being a nerd is something that should bring everyone together. Even though there is a growing acceptance of nerds, it’s still something that’s looked at as odd. My own family doesn’t really grasp the concept. Being that it’s a community that grew from being outsiders to a thriving group it should retain the ideology of unity. However, in my experience, that is not always the case.
Some of you know I work in the TV and film industry. It’s my day job. It’s not something I advertise, partly because I’ve signed waivers and would like to keep getting work, but also because I don’t like to parade it around. I’m proud of my work, I just don’t want to be that Hollywood a-hole.
I’ve found that some people have turned the nerd community into a hierarchy. It’s a small group of people, but a prominent one. No one should ever be ranked above another, ever. And this goes even beyond the nerd community. When I’m faced with someone who touts their ‘status’ in my face my gut reaction isn’t great. My mind turns to the ‘don’t you know who I am’ scenario. I’ve worked hard to get where I am in the film and television industry. I’ve worked with some of the people con goers pay to take photos with or wait in line for autographs. I’ve worked on some of the projects you spend hours figuring out how to cosplay. Is my reaction right? No, not by any means. And I don’t act on it.
It does bother me when a girl who works at The Gap behaves as if she’s superior. Congrats, you can cosplay, doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else. Yet, putting The Gap down isn’t the correct response either. We should all behave with respect. No one above, no one below. Does my gut tell me to behave differently? Yes, but I do no act on it. I love the nerd community because it’s built on the idea of bringing people together, not apart, or even worse segregated. It doesn’t matter how you got here, it just matters that you are kind and considerate to others.
So next time you feel like stepping on someone else because you believe you are somehow ‘better’, remember, the community only works if you do your part. RESPECT!
Your Friend, Elle
I just want to high-five you for this post! Excellent read
Awe thanks hun!