Say no to nerds.

I know we’re supposed to be tolerant of all sorts of life styles. And I am. Tolerant. But not encouraging.

I think the world, and especially the technology and videogames related parts of it, could do with a bit less patience with nerds. They are just too comfortable. They more or less retreated from the world to form a cocoon around them where nothing can harm them. I understand that for some people this is a matter of survival. I imagine that nerds are weak and insecure. And I don’t blame them for seeking comfort.

But we really shouldn’t pay so much attention to what people like that say. Life in an artificial womb has made them extremely protective of their fragile situation. Which means they are ultra-conservative in the literal sense: intent on conserving the state of perfection that they inhabit. As such they are not open to new ideas. Nor do they have any particular concern for the rest of the world. All they care about is their own little bubble.

Technology has traditionally drawn nerds. It supports a solitary existence where empathy is an unnecessary luxury. Technology may even require nerd levels of concentration to develop. And I’m sure a lot of technological progress only happened thanks to the dedication of nerds.

But while we owe them respect and gratitude, we should ignore them when it comes to envisioning the future, broadening ideas. When we think about ways in which we can make the medium of videogames more accessible, or more varied, so that people of all kinds can find something of beauty in it, we really should not consult with the nerds.

Their message is simple: things are fine the way they are. Don’t change them. If videogames are not appreciated by everyone, that’s just because of what they are. They cannot change. And then they get aggressive. Because they feel that the changes we propose will happen at the expensive of the things that they love, the things that make them feel comfortable, the things that help them cope with a strange world.

Let’s just ignore them. It’s not like suddenly technology will stop being a haven for nerds. They will always find a cozy little nest in it. But the rest of the world needs to live as well. And we have our own needs and desires.