Leonid Fridman's America Needs Its Nerds

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Compared to just a hundred or so years ago, the American education system is a completely new and distinct entity. Even just the core subjects have been—and still are—consistently altered in a myriad of ways. Most would probably agree that these changes are for the better. No longer are the suitable guidelines for schooling akin to those of the 1800's, when the concept of the "Three R's"—reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic—ran rampant. Still, as Leonid Fridman argues in his essay "America Needs Its Nerds", education and the way it is perceived may still be faced with some hurdles.
Fridman starts by outlining his main issue with how intelligence is viewed in America. Essentially, he believes intellect is often looked down upon. Being proud of being smart is seen as shameful, and if you decide to be proud anyway, you are designated any number of "derogatory terms" such as nerd …show more content…
In the long run, America might face serious consequences from its lack of scholarly incentive. By proposing a few rhetorical questions, he pushes his reader to consider how such a negative view could affect American society. "How can [America] be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan" if we encourage baseball and not books. If this rampant deprecation of dorks is allowed to continue, how can we "remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe" or maintain our status as a "world-class power". Although he leaves these questions for the reader to decipher, his own answers are unambiguous. Nerds are made fun of in popular media, ostracized in real life, and ultimately looked down upon in American society. Extroverts, partiers, and athletes are commended while smarties face censure. Enough with the shame and the embarrassment. No more should a "bright kid with thick glasses" suffer persecution, exclusion, or stigma. As Fridman exclaims in the very title of his piece, America needs its
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