Who Are "We"?

This blog is aimed right down the center of nerd culture: young, very bright men and women of European, Asian, or Semitic descent. If you're a nerd but don't fit this profile, then I don't know a lot of people like you and thus I may not be qualified to comment on your situation. Maybe you'll get something out of this blog anyhow, but I make to warranties to that effect. Read at risk, with salt grain.

This blog was also written primarily for people still coming up in the world. Say, 15-35 year olds. If you're younger than that, I'm not sure you'll really have the context to assimilate what I'm laying down here. If you're older, well... It's never too late to learn some new tricks and perhaps improve your circumstances, but it may be too late to bend the arc of your career and personal life. If you are in that age range, please keep in mind that that magical pair of decades sets the tone and boundary conditions for the four or five or perhaps even twenty decades that follow. So what you do and how you carry yourself are actually a lot more important than you probably think.

And for those of us who are mainstream nerds, the problem is universal: how to get the attention and respect of people who know nothing about nerds or nerd culture. Like any prejudice, the distrust of eccentric smartypantses is a tough problem to crack, but like a cuttlefish on a checkerboard you'll find that a small amount of protective coloration goes a long way.

And if you can master the art, or even journeyman it, you may find a lot of new options opening up for you. Would you rather be a programmer or a program manager? A copywriter or a copyright holder? Would you rather finance your cool new software idea with a maxed-out Visa card or with a million dollars in venture capital? The glamorous geek enjoys a special status in our society, and with a bit of shine on your shit you may just be in a position to find that out first hand.