I'd like to make a "shout out" to all of the nerds out there; brandishing their styrofoam swords, sporting their capes, rolling their dice, and brazenly using words like "photon torpedo", "battlemaster", "blood magic", and "wookie" in public conversations. Men that wear tights, and not in a sexually-experimental way but because "it fits their character". Women that forsake current hairstyles in favor of something more Renaissance, or Elven. Generations of people that coexist in a romanticized world that replaces harsh, real prejudices and violence with ideals of good and evil, light and dark, honor and justice.

The release of any major fantasy or sci-fi movie seems to bring nerdom into the spotlight in the form of people of all ages, shapes, and sizes clad in plastic armor, table-cloth robes, and replica weaponry. Many people look down at these small but tenacious communities of fans. Clad in black, boots crunching popcorn, the bottoms of their capes sticky with spilt soda, their polished armor reflecting the gleam of a Miley Cyrus movie advertisement. Out of the context of their fantastical worlds, they seem comical and maybe a little pathetic. It may be tempting to scoff at their ridiculous outfits, to roll your eyes at their seemingly fanatical interest in whatever fantasy or science-fiction title to whom they've pledged their allegiance.

When you're done casting dispersions, having your fun at their expense, what will you do with yourself? Go home and turn on the tube, suck down another insipid reality TV show? Go out with your friends, drink yourself stupid and end up being someone else's joke for the evening? Settle down for the latest Fast and Furious flick and try not to notice your boyfriend oggling the actress' tits?

Here's what you'll miss: that community that looks so ridiculous in their capes, faux weaponry, or prosthetic ear points is simply waiting patiently in line to enter the universe that they believe in, WANT to believe in, so much. And when they enter the theater, and the latest story unfolds before them, they'll join together in cheering on the hero, booing the villain, and celebrating the perpetuation of good triumphing over evil. They're celebrating romantic ideals, strong convictions of right and wrong, imagination made, for one glorious moment, entirely real.

I have a number of students that are already beginning to catch the "nerd bug", dressing in shirts of their favorite video-games and speaking in heated (but still hushed) tones about the inner-workings of the Star Wars universe. They devour science-fiction novels and compare notes on recent films. The concept (not the content) matches that of many college bars and cafeterias, but they're in middle school. Perhaps it could be considered an intellectual pursuit, and not merely a nerdy hobby, in that respect.

In fact “nerdery” can become a very real influence in the world. After the release of James Cameron’s Avatar, a protest took place along the Israeli border by Palestinians painted blue like the “Navi” of the film. They so related to the plight of these fictitious aliens that they created a political statement around it. Similarly corporate and government leaders the world over have been compared to universal characters such as Darth Vader, Sarumon, the Emperor and the Borg. (Strangely, they’re all villains…) Likewise, nerdery has integrated itself within our very language, and not always in a bad way. The Force, comments about “intelligent life on this planet”, Middle Earth, and nearly any sci-fi or fantasy race has worked its way into our common parlance. In fact, as a teacher studying to be an administrator, I’m constantly accused of going over to “the dark side”.

So nerds, nerd on! Everyone else, suspend your disbelief just long enough to see nerds for who they are, just another person trying to make sense of a nonsensical world. With such a diversity of humanity around us, one community is the same as any other. The only difference is how you choose to accessorize.