What does it mean to be a nerd? We’re certainly in a golden age of nerdiness; nerds are by no means such a prominent subject of ridicule as they were in the 80s. We’ve got way worse new groups like incels to take the brunt of criticism for being lame. 

Now, it seems like everybody wants to be a nerd, or at least everybody thinks they’re a nerd. This might be partly caused by superhero movie fans thinking that liking Iron Man makes them part of a class of esoteric nerds that only the most intellectual thinkers can be a part of. In my mind, a nerd is someone who has knowledge in a niche topic that goes beyond what the average person does. Whether that subject is Star Trek, anthropology, Dungeons and Dragons, or a combination of different subjects, the devoted follower of these interests deserves a place in the nerd community.