Essay about Critical Response

Submitted By Daniellenail310
Words: 411
Pages: 2

Critical Response
In the article, “Why I’m Raising My Son to be a Nerd,” featured in the Cable News Network (CNN) the author states his concerns with raising his son in the growing world where being smart isn’t exactly considered trendy. As he states, “We know because of our culture's negative attitude toward nerds, our kids are discouraged from being bookish from an early age.” Society views nerds as embarrassing and old-fashioned. I agree with the author of this article. Receiving a good education in high school is just as important as playing sports, and in the long run, education might prove to be more important.
Americans in the 21 century have a tendency of looking down on nerds. It doesn’t help that television shows and movies are often based around the nerds trying to find a place to fit in, while the jocks are portrayed as the in-crowd. As the author stated in the article, “People plan Super Bowl parties, and they mock National Spelling Bees.” Sports events like the World Series or the Super Bowl are celebrated with friends, families, and lots of food, while educational events like the Academic Decathlon or the Science Bowl go completely unnoticed. As a nerd in high school, there were several more opportunities of furthering my education after graduation, rather than those who played sports, while struggling through high school. The loudest cheers and applauses almost always are rewarded to the players on the field, whether it is soccer, baseball, or football.
However getting through high school and college isn’t nearly as important as gaining a successful job.