I'm going to start off with my first blog explaining why I chose the title of "Life of an LotR Mathnerd." For those of you who don't know, LotR stands for "Lord of the Rings," one of the greatest trilogies of novels and movies ever created. The novels, originally written by J.R.R. Tolkein in the mid-19th century, were the beginning of the genre of fantasy. These books, not only the first of their kind, are also still considered some of the best fantasy books ever written. The movies, directed by Peter Jackson at the turn of the 21st century, were also novelties of their time, with amazing special effects, scenery, and soundtrack. I can personally say that I have read all of the books multiple times. I also own the extended edition of the movie, and have watched them numerous times. I am also an avid reader of the genre of epic fantasy, and I have read (and own) more fantasy books than I can count.
The previous statement may seem paradoxical, because the title of this blog also says that I am a "Mathnerd" (Yes, it is capitalized and one word). When most people hear the term Mathnerd, they think of pale, short kids who spend their entire lives thinking about math and have very few social and/or athletic skills. Well, I am pale and relatively short, therefore that part of the stereotype may be accurate in my case. However, I view the term Mathnerd as a title, not as an insult. The first time I was called a nerd was in sixth grade, and I couldn't understand why it was supposed to be insulting. Was I not just called intelligent? Shouldn't I be proud of that? I greatly confused the other kid by responding with a cheerful "Thanks!" and walking away smiling. From that point on, whenever I was called a nerd I viewed it as a high level of status. I do greatly enjoy math. I do spend much of my free time doing math. It was something to be proud of, not to be ashamed of.
The part of the stereotype of a Mathnerd that in my experiences I have found to be wrong is the part concerning "very few social and/or athletic skills." I have known many Mathnerds, from those who are just discovering their passion for math, to those who are some of the best at it internationally. If anything, these fellow nerds can be more athletic and social than the average high school student. Sure, there are some awkward Mathnerds, but, as we all know, many high school kids tend to be on the "awkward" side. Being a Mathnerd requires a passion and dedication to math. These kids are just as passionate about sports and other activities, making them just as successful at them as well. Many people use and are called a "Mathnerd" as an insult, but this term should be viewed as a level of status that shows a level of passion and dedication far beyond the average "Joe."
Good first post, Ben! My dad is a huge LotR fanatic, and I love those books (and The Hobbit) as well. I agree that being called a nerd is nothing to be ashamed of. Nerds are not only intelligent, they're passionate about and focused intently on their favorite field. And without intelligently focused passion, the world would be pretty bland.
ReplyDeleteBen, you need to convince me at some point that I need to read these books. I've tried but I've never been able to get into them.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I learned a new term just now. I have heard people called a nerd, but never a mathnerd. Perhaps this is the case because I have always attended more selective schools. At uni, "nerds" are probably called that less frequently than at your school in State College in Pennsylvania.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've always puzzled over why "nerd" (or I guess Mathnerd) is supposed to be insulting, like is being uneducated something we're supposed to strive for? And actually I've also wondered what it's got to do with the Nerds candy. Haha, is it bad that I never capitalize the R in lotr.....
ReplyDeleteI've never been into LotR but with all the praise you've given the series I may just give it a shot. I feel that the connotation of "nerd" has a changed drastically since coming to Uni from a public school which may be due to the great focus on academics at Uni.
ReplyDeleteLets see, go through the list of everything that you just said and now see if it applies to me. Yup, yup, and yup. Congratulations Ben you have just made my autobiography plagiarism. Not actually, I did greatly enjoy the LotR books though, for me it was reading the history of middle earth and then fitting the books into it that I really enjoyed. Also, coming from this school we have about a 33% mathnerd population.
ReplyDeleteIf you tell me you haven't read The Silmarillion and/or Lost Tales, I will personally flame every post you write for this blog until you do. That said, I approve your title, I approve your post, and I might -- assuming you've read the aforementioned books -- even approve of your personage.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't give me that crap about how "Well, J.R.R. didn't author those books," because J.R.R. wrote them and another Tolkien (Good Christopher, to whom we owe much) edited and published them.
Ahem.
You should also play Angband -- it's not canon or anything, but the lore basis remains, and it's fun. And hard. And did I mention fun.
Yes, I have read the Lost Tales and The Silmarillion (As well as the Children of Húrin). I have not gotten around to reading all 12 of The History of Middle-earth books, but I am slowly collecting them from used-book sales, and I hopefully will be able to read all of them eventually. I did not find them nearly as enjoyable as the original Hobbit or LotR trilogy, but they are still definitely worth reading.
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