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Is this another one of your psychic holt flashes?

Well, it has been well established that I love everything even remotely nerdy.  Admittedly, I even enjoy the new ninja turtles despite that fact that it's not violent or funny...simply because it perpetuates our love for radioactive reptile martial artists.  But there is a phenomenon that continues to bother me in the nerd world.  I'm going to call it nerdly ubiquity.  The phrase nerdly ubiquity applies to such books/games/television shows/and movies where everything is taken at a matter-of-fact down to earth level.  You know the type.  I'll offer my most hated as an example.  BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER IS A TERRIBLE SHOW.  THE PREMISE MAKES ME WANT TO SHOOT MYSELF IN THE RECTUM WITH AN ELEPHANT GUN FULL OF GLASS SHARDS.  In theory, this show could have been flat out awesome.  It could chronicle the horrific and mind-altering insanity that would result in a life inundated with the supernatural.  Instead, thanks to nerdly ubiquity, it is all done in a tongue in cheek kitschy sort of way.  Every day the heroine fights and kills vampires, demons and the like.  NOT ONCE does this show ever address the fact that KILLING SOMETHING changes something within you as a human being, making you at the very least, a slightly different person.  NOT TO MENTION SEEING, EXPERIENCING OR INTERACTING WITH DEMONS.  Nerdly ubiquity is the reason that nerdliness has passed to the general public.  BEING A NERD IS BY ITS VERY NATURE ELITIST.  I DON"T WANT PEOPLE CONSUMING MY LIFESTYLE.  When a kobold ceases to have a society, a civilization, it's own life philosophy, then we as a nerd people will lose all focus.  We cannot simply denigrate the supernatural to a mere extension of our existence.  A vampire is not a person.  Therefor, we should not approach the depiction of one, whether in literature or on a screen as merely a human that drinks blood.  The vampire's personality is fundamentally different; they should in theory, be pushed by different wants and needs, by different loves and hates.  Yet somehow, thanks to ubiquity, they are everywhere and act exactly like us.  Doesn't this seem awfully egotistical?  Isn't this destroying the very foundations which provided us with this means of escape?  If we too closely merge our nerd world with the real world, how long will it be before we're all wearing fishnets and carrying broadswords looking for dragons to slay?

 

Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 at 11:39AM by Registered CommenterSubsume and Lick! | Comments4 Comments

Reader Comments (4)

FYI Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is a great game, you should play it sometime.
January 4, 2005 | Unregistered Commentertara
I agree. It's the same attitude that makes the stereotypical D&D player, who's chatoic good character slaughters kobolds in their own home, steals their treasure, and leaves with the same untouched emotional being that he would have if he had bought the goods from a local store.
January 4, 2005 | Unregistered CommenterAllan
"...how long will it be before we're all wearing fishnets and carrying broadswords looking for dragons to slay?"

Oh my god I hope not very long. Because that would rock.

Nate

P.s. PERHAPS YOU COULD USE MY OFFICE AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE COULD GO TO LUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!
January 9, 2005 | Unregistered CommenterNate
KEITH!!!!!!! I AM ASHAMED!!!!!!!!!! Buffy is one of the best shows on Television!
I will prove it to you. All I need is a television and an hour of explanation.
Seriously.
April 19, 2005 | Unregistered CommenterJackee

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