Comment How many of the commenters... (Score 2, Informative) 1535
...actually read the whole article?
(Oh, I guess I'm a nerd, because I just read a 7,000-word article from start to finish. And enjoyed it.)
To everyone who says that not all smart kids are unpopular: the author recognizes that. He says: "Unless they happen to be very good looking, or great natural athletes, or have older siblings who are popular, they'll tend to become nerds." Note all the exceptions.
To everyone who says that truly popular kids don't bother picking on nerds: again, the article says that. "Most of the persecution comes from kids lower down, the nervous middle classes."
To everyone who pointed out that popular kids feel crappy too: guess what. The article says: "Life in this twisted world is stressful for the kids. And not just for the nerds. Like any war, it's damaging even to the winners."
I would agree that the author errs in completely dismissing the effect of hormones, and the fact that high-school kids are in an inherently chaotic transitional phase of life. But before you make stock replies or accusations of stereotyping, please read the article. Or else you're the one who's stereotyping.
(Oh, I guess I'm a nerd, because I just read a 7,000-word article from start to finish. And enjoyed it.)
To everyone who says that not all smart kids are unpopular: the author recognizes that. He says: "Unless they happen to be very good looking, or great natural athletes, or have older siblings who are popular, they'll tend to become nerds." Note all the exceptions.
To everyone who says that truly popular kids don't bother picking on nerds: again, the article says that. "Most of the persecution comes from kids lower down, the nervous middle classes."
To everyone who pointed out that popular kids feel crappy too: guess what. The article says: "Life in this twisted world is stressful for the kids. And not just for the nerds. Like any war, it's damaging even to the winners."
I would agree that the author errs in completely dismissing the effect of hormones, and the fact that high-school kids are in an inherently chaotic transitional phase of life. But before you make stock replies or accusations of stereotyping, please read the article. Or else you're the one who's stereotyping.
