The Living Rockumentary

That's an interesting question, Tiny. When I was in highschool, I had a big circle of friends and we were all pretty much outsiders to the general population. We were made up of mostly smart and embarrassed kids and we knew we were nerds. Some of us were more so, some of us were less so. But, as in all highschools, the hierarchies were pretty complex. We made fun of the "cool" kids and we also made fun of the "nerdier" kids, but mostly, we made fun of ourselves. I proudly proclaimed myself a nerd and I am still proud of it. In fact, I am disgusted that I live in a country where smartness is equated with squareness and politeness is unhip, where schools have football stadiums but not enough books, and form is always more importand than substance. I knew it then and I know it now. PS. We need more nerds and less tough guys in charge of the government, we should encourage compassion over competition.

It could be, like you say, that nowadays there is a hipness to nerdiness (my guess is that it seems more so from the outside). If it's true, maybe it's because all the nerds from the last few generations went on to make all the coolest, tv (Conan O'Brian, John Stewart, The Simpsons), movies (Wes Anderson, anything on the Independent Film Channel) and music (Just about everything). Also, what is fashionable nowadays? Greasy haired skinny, pale, twenty-somethings in thrift shop clothes (hand me downs form past nerds are now super hip) What was fashionable in the late 80's and early 90's, pre-grunge? Muscles and Izods. All the abused nerds from the past took control of the media and fashion industry.

There's a great part of Bowling for Columbine where Matt Stone (South Park) speaks about how all the nerds in schools went on to bigger better things and how all the jocks are still living in the same town. Sure, when we were in junior and high schools, there were nerds in the mainstream media who were popular somewhat (The Cars, REM) but not as much as maybe today, I mean jeez, look at Beck, the opitomy of nerd-cool. But then again, when I think of mainstream music today, I.E. MTV, it is mostly models and weight lifters with the exception of Moby and Eminem (tell me he wasn't a nerd at one point).

Aww, I don't know. To answer your question, my guess would be that in the media and in arts towns like Northampton there is the "so uncool it's cool" thing going on, but I would guess that in highschool, all the kids are still for the most part considering themselves geeks and wondering why it can't be as easy for them as it is for everyone else.