Comments on: Black Nerds vs. Nerds Who Happen to be Black http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:46:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Geek Studies » Blog Archive » Links: The State of the Geek in May, 2008 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-1315 Geek Studies » Blog Archive » Links: The State of the Geek in May, 2008 Thu, 08 May 2008 17:34:54 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-1315 [...] You might remember Raafi Rivero’s post about black nerds from awhile back (which I discussed here). Well, Michael Hastings-Black clued me in to Raafi’s follow-up post, featuring a video of [...] [...] You might remember Raafi Rivero’s post about black nerds from awhile back (which I discussed here). Well, Michael Hastings-Black clued me in to Raafi’s follow-up post, featuring a video of [...]

]]> By: Church http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-636 Church Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:32:26 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-636 Very weird. That whole site seems to be serving nothing pages right now. Very weird. That whole site seems to be serving nothing pages right now.

]]> By: Robert Reed http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-629 Robert Reed Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:29:54 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-629 The blog Convergence Culture seems to be down. Does anyone have, or can someone locate a copy of Sam Ford's blog entry? The blog Convergence Culture seems to be down. Does anyone have, or can someone locate a copy of Sam Ford’s blog entry?

]]> By: raafi http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-608 raafi Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:53:17 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-608 I guess one of the things that I was trying to get at was that identities that have certain values in the culture at large occur with different sets of attached norms within black culture. Pharell Williams, for instance, considered himself a band geek in high school, but became a noted hip-hop producer who continually puts himself forth as a skateboarder. In this case the identities of "nerd" and "skateboarder," which might not often occur within the same person in white america easily commingle because those types are not inherently black, but rather, identities that black folks have felt free to borrow or recombine in with no apparent regard to the norms of cool or outisderness from which they seem to resonate among whites. Put differently, a nerd who is black does not cease to respond to black cultural norms but for the fact that s/he digs on World of Warcraft. I guess one of the things that I was trying to get at was that identities that have certain values in the culture at large occur with different sets of attached norms within black culture. Pharell Williams, for instance, considered himself a band geek in high school, but became a noted hip-hop producer who continually puts himself forth as a skateboarder. In this case the identities of “nerd” and “skateboarder,” which might not often occur within the same person in white america easily commingle because those types are not inherently black, but rather, identities that black folks have felt free to borrow or recombine in with no apparent regard to the norms of cool or outisderness from which they seem to resonate among whites. Put differently, a nerd who is black does not cease to respond to black cultural norms but for the fact that s/he digs on World of Warcraft.

]]> By: Ben http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-607 Ben Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:07:05 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-607 I coached a chess team at the all-black high school I taught at in Chicago. A number of the players were also into Magic and YuGiOh. But other than those interests, most of them didn't come off as typical nerds. As far as I could tell, they didn't see much contradiction between black culture and their more cerebral interests. And contrary to Church's comment, I don't think they got much flack from their peers. Of course, this was just my experience at one particular school. I coached a chess team at the all-black high school I taught at in Chicago. A number of the players were also into Magic and YuGiOh. But other than those interests, most of them didn’t come off as typical nerds. As far as I could tell, they didn’t see much contradiction between black culture and their more cerebral interests. And contrary to Church’s comment, I don’t think they got much flack from their peers. Of course, this was just my experience at one particular school.

]]> By: James http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-597 James Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:54:18 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-597 Interesting stuff. Honestly, the reasoning behind the name "Dork Magazine" isn't that deep. I was sitting at my desk at work and the name just came to me. I did a google search and no one had taken the name - so we jumped on it. We (Taj and myself) had been putting together websites for years and we wanted to do a online magazine - the name just worked. What can I say, we're suckers for irony (that and self-deprecation). Thanks for checking us out. Look out for a big revamp in the new year. Best, James O. Interesting stuff. Honestly, the reasoning behind the name “Dork Magazine” isn’t that deep. I was sitting at my desk at work and the name just came to me. I did a google search and no one had taken the name – so we jumped on it. We (Taj and myself) had been putting together websites for years and we wanted to do a online magazine – the name just worked. What can I say, we’re suckers for irony (that and self-deprecation). Thanks for checking us out. Look out for a big revamp in the new year.

Best,

James O.

]]> By: Church http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds/comment-page-1#comment-596 Church Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:44:00 +0000 http://www.geekstudies.org/2007/12/some-thoughts-on-black-nerds#comment-596 I think I touched upon this earlier, but black culture in America is much harsher towards nerdy behavior than white or asian culture is. One of those papers you mentioned lately even referenced (in passing, lamentably) 'black crypto-nerds' (which sounds like the language used for the black 'down-low' gay population.) There's a reason that Urkel was Urkel ten years later than the "Revenge of the Nerds" crew triumphed. I think I touched upon this earlier, but black culture in America is much harsher towards nerdy behavior than white or asian culture is. One of those papers you mentioned lately even referenced (in passing, lamentably) ‘black crypto-nerds’ (which sounds like the language used for the black ‘down-low’ gay population.)

There’s a reason that Urkel was Urkel ten years later than the “Revenge of the Nerds” crew triumphed.

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