I mean, we've all known this for a while. Atheists. Are. Nerds. We all are. I don't know a single atheist who wasn't very nerdy on some level.
Okay not true.
But the real 'generalization' is that an abnormal amount of atheists, when compared to the general population, are nerdy. Full-blown video game, RTS, Popular Mechanics, 4chan, l33t speak nerds. And so I ask:
"Why is that?"
I'm truly serious, cause statistically speaking the population is skewed. This is a very nerdy bunch. Even the girls are nerdy ... and bi but that's not important right now. Though, many atheist girls are hot and sometimes bi. Many guys will like that last link ;) But even my gf is nerdy! I don't wish to be boastful, but usually nerdy people are pretty smart and intelligent. Well, that isn't being boastful, using the 2 studies from Profiles of the Godless (Reasonable Doubts) we do have a much higher education level than the general population. So maybe nerdy people like to go to school, play video games, keep tabs on the latest Hadron collider updates, and spend countless hours ... doubting ... God?
Not sure on that one. But this comes up after nerding it out a bit amongst my fellow atheists and agnostics down in Provo. Amazing hot chocolate. I don't particularly care for coffee. I'd say maybe that's why Joseph Smith and Brigham supported the Word of Wisdom ... but they actually drank too, so ....
Beside the point, I'm just caught up on it. Generally nerds like to think, and that seems pretty legit. And I don't mean that in a demeaning way, but lot's of nerds I know actually enjoy thinking. I mean, sitting there and just thinking. Obviously not all, and obviously not for long periods of time, but we like to think. And especially when it comes to Mormonism if you stop and think you'll stop believing in it, lol. And for most people this means it's time to move on. And then still for most it means they'll 'think' about other religions. And then for a good portion they apply this 'thinking' to God, and then the whole thing just seems ... fluffy.
I'm not really sure what to make out about it. The popular, preppy groups I know generally are pretty concrete in their beliefs or non-beliefs. While my nerdy Mormon friends are the ones with doubts. And within the local atheistic community a good portion are pretty nerdy. I love nerds, I've only recently accepted my nerdiness in the last few years of my life. I know plenty of people who are not nerdy in just about every way. Most people have a nerdy area to their life, and then a decent population is very nerdy but realistic, while another decent population is very nerdy and delusional. The live in your grandmas basement kind, falling in love with anime girls, and staying up late playing WoW. So many atheists I know fit in the nerdy but realistic realm. Why is that?
Hands down win for Google for me ... thus far!
And now I'm asking you, dear reader. I'm betting I have some nerdy followers and lurkers out there. Maybe someone has put some thought into this. Cause statistically we are not representative of the population. In fact, besides nerdiness, it seems lots of doubters and atheists and agnostics love fantasy, and stories, and the fantastic. Shouldn't religion be inviting then? So many of us seem to love a good book or story more than usual in comparison to my believing friends and acquaintances.
Gods, so many different things, and I just have no idea where to start.
oh yeah, I'm a hardcore geek ex-mormon atheist. Coffee sux, drinking is fun sometimes, I like fantasy/sci-fi and hot bi atheist women. So I tick all the boxes, but I can't say why fanciful stories are so attractive and religion so abhorrent. Maybe geeks possess a special faculty which allows them to differentiate between reality and imaginative bullshit. It's like wow mr or ms author your command of bullshit is amazing. I commend your ability to mold it into a cohesive whole, I can't even hardly smell the stink. When you start incorporating bullshit into your life though, that ridiculousness ought to give everyone pause. I visit old friends and they got bullshit hanging on their walls, sitting on their coffee tables, it's on their undergarments. It's like when over eager fanboys dress up as navi or make videos of themselves pretending to be darth maul. Too far people, too far. I mean bullshit's maleable and stuff so maybe it's an ideal material for the job, but I think it's best admired from a distance. Umm, yeah like I said I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI would say StarCraft has the power to create Atheists, but after seeing that Ghost survive, I dunno, maybe there is a God...
ReplyDeleteLoren - that may, perhaps, be the most poetic and quotable comment i have ever received.
ReplyDeleteGreg - yes, after spending 2 hours in a game only to be mercilessly annihilated ... that can make almost anyone into an atheist. but then seeing that ghost survive ... starcraft, ye almost make me a Christian ;P
From one science geek to another, thanks for the link love :-)
ReplyDeleteLord knows (sic!) I caught plenty of flack for that post. It's nice to get a link from someplace that isn't telling me what a sexist douche I am.
And kudos to you for being out in such an overtly religious area. We need lots more people as brave as you.
Ok, first, real men do not find the idea of women licking each others crotches erotic. Second, smoking is not cool, wearing a black beret is not cool, sitting around and saying things like "Can you believe there are people out there that still believe in Jesus, heh heh, my goodness they sure are dumb" is not cool, socialism is not cool. Men committing sodomy on each other is not cool. None of this is cool. These are all attempts by, yes, nerdy and insecure people who were never good at sports or had any kind of healthy social life in their youth, to try to feel good about themselves as they get older.
ReplyDeleteHehe... So says someone who does other things that most definitely *are* cool. Cause he's cool.
ReplyDeleteBecause chicks dig jocks. And nobody who smokes ever gets a girl. And except for the roads, hospitals, police, fire department, clean water, safe food, reasonably safe prescription drugs, museums, state universities, and social security, nothing is cool about socialization.
Weston, you are the man, man.
You got that right, and all of them, yes ALL of them are or should be maintained by private companies. You really want those affrmative action people from the Department of Motor Vehicles performing your prostate/breast cancer surgery on you? Or are you going to be like the Millions who follow Michale Moore and fly to Cuba for your surgery. Scoialism is lame. Very lame, get off that waggon.
ReplyDeleteHamby - I admit, I'm annoyed by how old, white, and male the New Atheism is, especially the Four Horsemen ... but who picked these people? The Christians! Hecht, Jacoby, Ayaan Hirshi Ali, they are all major figures, and most of them wrote bestselling books before the four white dudes. But the Christians all team up against these men, calling them the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, lol. So on that note from the comments, atheism isn't old white men, it's just the Christian apologists and theologians only seem to care about what other men say.
ReplyDeleteSecond, how did you know I linked your blog? Does it somehow update you on that and how can I know?
Third - Yes. Because women are hot and we admit and post a picture or two, suddenly we are sexist pigs. I'm speaking on behalf of you of course. People will be ridiculous. I happen to believe sexual inhibitions are good, but I think American society is too inhibited. And if women complain about you posting pics then they should just post pics of hot guys on their blogs, I think most men would be perfectly fine with that.
Weston - Haha, okay. First I only have had a serious conversation with two guys who said they didn't like lesbians. Only two. And one of them jokes about gay guys a lot, and the other is almost asexual (no porn, no masturbation, no girlfriends, and only recently saw his first movie that had some nudity in it). So I beg to differ on 'real men' not liking lesbians. Second, lesbians have us all beat. I mean, how can we compare to a girl who knows the workings in and out, can be a 'girl friend' and a 'girlfriend,' and all the benefits of knowing how girls think.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't like smoking. I have no idea where the black beret is coming from, lol. Often people talk about how clever religion is, but some atheists do say "how dumb can people be" and I get offended by that cause I was one of those people, and my family still is, and my mom for sure is very intelligent. Men committing sodomy can be cool, but not for me.
Socialism ... I know I'd like it when I need medical care but have to pay hundreds of thousands out of my own pocket or deal with insurance companies. Britain seems pretty good in that sense.
And, hey, I like sports, but I don't like competition. I don't care to lose, but I actually feel a lot worse when I win. I have divine beginners luck with things and I've made some people/kids cry back in the day when me, the newb, beat them at something they thought they were amazing at. Also, I say nerds, but a lot of the people aren't all that nerdy. Or socially inept. In fact, the most socially inept people are the ones who went on missions or grew up completely Mormon rather than the non-Mormon people or converts who deconverted. They generally come from that area - no offense guys, I still love you. ;P
Hey, I am a hot, hetero, sporty, athiest female. I am a nerd but I do blame my social skills (or lack therof) on my fundy upbringing.
ReplyDeleteI believe a large number of athiest/agnostic women are still going to church. There is a great social network there, expecially for young moms.
The black beret and smoke is a stereotype of the 50s beatniks, the precursors to the hippie movement.
"Though, many atheist girls are hot and sometimes bi."
ReplyDeleteThat just made me laugh at loud. XD
"Ok, first, real men do not find the idea of women licking each others crotches erotic."
And that just made me sad. :(
Don't worry Jezzy, if you were going down on my gf I would find it hot, don't be sad.
ReplyDeleteIt's disgusting, first of all it's disgusting because most lesbians weigh 300 pounds and have those mullet haircuts. I almost throw up when I see those women shopping at the local grocery store, I can't even imagine what they would look like engaged in some kind of lesbo-erotic rug-munching adventure.
ReplyDeleteJ-Dog,
ReplyDeleteYes. I agree that the "face of atheism" is largely due to Christians' responses to the four horsemen. And there were lots of us around before. They just gave us a public face, and they certainly don't represent the depth and breadth of atheism.
I knew you linked to me because I have a wordpress blog and it has a feature that allows me to see anyone who's linked directly to me.
The funny thing about that post and women is that I'm probably a feminist. I don't really like the word because of the implications, but I'm on women's side on most of the big issues -- equal pay for equal work, extended maternity leave, sexual independence, etc, etc. And because I happen to be male and happen to like women who are... gee... attractive... lots of feminists have blackballed me and labeled me as a jackass. But it's ok. I honestly don't have time or energy for that argument.
Thanks again for the link love.
And by the way... Weston, if you were spouting Christian nonsense, I'd call Poe. You probably don't get the joke, but most of the atheists here do.
Hahaha, yeah, I know what you mean. I'm currently dating a feminist and we argue allllll theeee tiiiiime. I believe in equality for things like this. I also believe the US should have laws to enforce paid maternal leave, that can be split amongst the mother and her significant other. I think the leave should be at least 2 months as well.
ReplyDeleteI also think the culture should change and stop being so sexist and detrimental to women, but I also think men receive more than most people admit or notice. I think body issues are almost completely nurture effects mainly by the media. And really, I don't see what's wrong with your post. Are you telling me atheist women don't want there to be hot atheist men out there? Or is it just religious people who are hating on you? It's all old news now though anyway.
No, it was atheist women loading on the hate. You see, when I put pictures of hot atheist women on the internet, I'm objectifying them, which is wrong, because it reduces them to sexual objects, which takes away their humanity and harms all of womanhood.
ReplyDeleteOr something like that. I don't buy it for a number of reasons, but there it is. And like I said, I don't have time for it, any more than I have time to argue with atheists who believe the moon landing was a hoax or that 9/11 was planned by the White House. Being atheist doesn't mean being perfectly rational, after all.
Lol, to this entire conversation.
ReplyDelete@hambydammit, while I may not appreciate being objectified all the time, I'm sorry you received so much flack for the pictures. I really don't think they're a big deal. Plus they make me laugh. And I'm a feminist! But I know where to fight my battles. And sexy pictures online really aren't an issue. I appreciate that you're prepared to stand up for women on the issues that do matter.
@j-dog :)
@Weston, everything you say sort of astounds me. Even though I know people like you, it is difficult for me not just shake my head in wonder at the ridiculous things you say.
How can you stereotype so blatantly and sooooo incorrectly?
"most lesbians weigh 300 pounds and have those mullet haircuts"
Um...really? Have you ever actually talked to a lesbian? Or are you just assuming that all women weighing around 300 pounds must be lesbians? I've met a fair share of homosexual people, and I've yet to meet a lesbian that is 300 pounds or has a mullet.
Also, you clearly don't know what 'cool' means, or what it means to be a 'real' man. All you seem to know is what you personally think, with zero research or real life experience. I still can't help but laugh at the blanket statements you make...
"Don't worry Jezzy, if you were going down on my gf I would find it hot, don't be sad."
ReplyDeleteThank you. :) I feel better now.
Also, I don't know many lesbians, but none of them are 300 pounds, or have mullets. Most of them are quite attractive. In fact, one I know who is rather overweight is still cute, in my opinion. You probably just don't notice the lesbians who aren't trying to make a grand statement with it.
Awwww! Atheist love for everyone! You guys are all so crazy awesome! I love you! I think maybe I need to get into this kinda thing so I can talk to people like you.
ReplyDeleteYah, nerdness can lead to atheism....and vise versa. More importantly, nerdiness can lead to rationalism. Not to mention all the incredible things everyones has already pointed out.
Atheist girls ARE hot! I know one! Hours spent doubting god....I got that out of the way. Usually time for me is spent thinking about biology, cosmology, or whatever.
I do like the title, but I'd probably say it in reverse: Nerdism is for atheists!
well, karl, you are welcome to come meet some people. give me an email message.
ReplyDeletekarlhellberg94@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI cherished the criticalness of keeping human/sympathetic touch with the understudies and gatekeepers in this time of automated literacy.When I at initially commented I tapped the "Exhort me when new comments are incorporated" checkbox and now every time a comment is incorporated I get a couple messages with the same comment. Is there any way you can oust people from that organization? Thankful!
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