What does it mean to be a nerd? A word that used to be bandied about with malice has now been proudly reclaimed by many. What used to be an insult is now a way to wear your interests with pride. Miriam Webster defines the word as «a person devoted to intellectual, academic, or technical pursuits or interests.» But that feels almost too broad. You can be dedicated to an intellectual pursuit without being a nerd. Some professors are total jocks, and that doesn’t make them any less committed to their field. 

I think nerdiness needs to involve some social risk. True nerds risk social capital in pursuit of their niche passion. You don’t care that other kids don’t want to sit with you at lunch, you’re going to play with your Star Wars action figures no matter what. That’s why I respect nerds so much. So much so that I made this meme list just for us.