This points to the thing that, speaking purely as a nerd raised on heroic ideals, scares me the most. Complicated, though. Unpacking follows.
There's a bit in Snow Crash where Stephenson remarks that we nerd dudes all spend a portion of our life confident that if something *really bad* were to happen, we could become Batman. It is way more true than it has any business being.
It is the default position of the well-intentioned nerd that we *could* do something. We just aren't right now. Because reasons.
There's some self delusion around intent there. I think people are actually cognizant ofthat, but they're less aware of the delusion of capability.
There's some self delusion around intent there. I think people are actually cognizant ofthat, but they're less aware of the delusion of capability.
As a nerd, your heroic fiction is about *clever* heroes. Hackers and thieves. The ones who find and exploit the loopholes in the system for great justice.
I have rarely met a nerdude who does *not* think that they have a razor sharp grasp of systems and exploiting them.
I have rarely met a nerdude who does *not* think that they have a razor sharp grasp of systems and exploiting them.
So we think of that as our super power. If we were to mobilize, we'd be secret and unstoppable because we'd hit all the weak points of the evil-empire-equivalent in ways they would never see coming.
Because we're smart, you see.
Because we're smart, you see.
Specifically, we're smart as opposed to strong or social.
Conveniently, this means we don't take direct action that puts us at risk (Strong people can do that) and we don't rely on groups (social people do that).
Yes, this is full of holes, but it's the heroic narrative.
Conveniently, this means we don't take direct action that puts us at risk (Strong people can do that) and we don't rely on groups (social people do that).
Yes, this is full of holes, but it's the heroic narrative.
But even if you set aside its weird emotional undertones and the fact that it's subversion has produced appallingly toxic movement of self-identified heroes, it has a huge *practical* problem. It's super out of date and impractical.
The rest of the world has long since caught onto the idea of the disruptor, and things have changed.
Even if you *are* as good as you think you are, and can drop ninja cool acts of disruption on the system, the system now has hostages to offload the pain onto.
Even if you *are* as good as you think you are, and can drop ninja cool acts of disruption on the system, the system now has hostages to offload the pain onto.
Want to disrupt an evil corporation? A sinister government? All your clever plans from the 1980s are going to do is result in rank and file people getting hurt. The lone genius act is already countered.
Which is not a reason not to take action, but a reminder that your confidence in what action looks like in the absence of actual action is probably misplaced.
ESPECIALLY if your expectation is that the reception is going to be positive.
Most people are more invested in your impact on their commute than on the justice of your cause. That's frustrating, but hopefully sobering.
Most people are more invested in your impact on their commute than on the justice of your cause. That's frustrating, but hopefully sobering.
Because if you *don't* get your head around that and find a new way forward, then you'll cling to the old heroic narrative, and the one thing it's really good for:
Hurting people.
Hurting people.
Any nerddude who *doesn't* recognize that organized harassment campaigns and the things that have grown from them are born from our heroic ideals may need to look closer. They are all *about* that shit.
None of which is to say that there is no room for heroic nerds in this world.
We still need you.
But in a battle of hearts and minds, stories matter, and not all stories age well. Upgrade your narrative tech. Find a new story. Kick some ass.
Good luck.
We still need you.
But in a battle of hearts and minds, stories matter, and not all stories age well. Upgrade your narrative tech. Find a new story. Kick some ass.
Good luck.
