The Wonderful World Of Nerdism | Solo Episode

heeeeey weebs!! in todays episode we are checking In !!! how we feeling how we FEELING?! this podcast has been an absolute blast so far and i'm so excited to explore more with you all!! we are going to be yappin about the history of nerdism, where it started where its going and even some fun little facts about the name and how i  even jumped into it myself!! a part of storytelling that is so unique that it brings so many together and I find that such a beautiful thing. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for the amazing love, support, and more! hope you enjoy listening as much as I dud recording. Stay sparkling and I will see ya in the next one :3 

Transcript

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Hi there. Welcome and welcome back to another episode of Dream City with your host, me, Star Jackson. And in today's episode, we are going to just be a yappin. But this isn't no ordinary yappin session. We're gonna be talking about all things nerdism. And what I mean by that is like nerdism, where did it come from? Like where did it derive from? Like the nerd the name nerd. I never really really thought about it, and I I just did some research and I am shocked where the word nerd derived from. And um some cool, cool facts and history about being a nerd and um how it evolved from being not so cool, um, almost uh uh uh if I would say almost a not cool niche to be in, to have. I remember when I was in school, uh a lot of people would hide being a nerd, but now that I think about it, a lot of nerds in our in that I saw in school, they they I loved how they had their own society and their own little cliques um when I went to school, even though everyone outside of the society would see them as weird or or nerdy or geeky or stuff like that. It was usually like a derogatory term. But lately have been seeing the the change, the evolution of nerdism, of weedism, of of uh dorgyism, if that's even a word, um, and and dweebs is uh and it's it's just become a beautiful thing, and I wanted to touch in on that and get a check-in on how you guys have been enjoying the podcast thus far. Um I'm hoping you guys have been liking what you've been hearing with um with all of the guests that we've had on. Um all of their stories um are so so amazing, so intricate, and and hearing them talk about themselves and their journey and what they've been through and and even having them realize it themselves, like what they've been through and where they are now, and um and sharing that to you to you all to see. Um it's just been a beautiful thing to me. And I I'm I'm really happy that um you guys you guys have been enjoy enjoying it um as much as we did recording it. Um it's been such an honor and listening back to them and um uh really smiling when um hearing them smile, seeing their smiles on each each and every episode, seeing them laugh and um just having conversation, just yapping, and letting them have like a safe space where we can really be nerds, you know, and that's what it's all about, and being storytellers in general too. Um it's just um I just feel very honored, very blessed, and I'm so happy to finally have been able to drop that fear and to be able to finally do it, you know? Um, and to share it with all of you guys. So I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say thank you to each and every one of you um for listening, for sharing with your friends and sharing with family and anybody who could be interested in it. And um I am so excited and stoked for more to come. Um I've been working hard, busy um getting you guys the content. I've been trying to do it every week. So ever since we started doing the podcast, um, seriously, this year, um, we've been um posting every week. I'm hoping so to keep doing that, but um, I'm starting to reach where a little bit burnout. So um we may or may not push it back to every other week and have like because my plan was to have um an interview episode every other week and have a solo episode every week with us just yapping or us yeah, talking about pop culture, um, things going on in the industry and stuff like that. Um, so I'm gonna try to do that again. So this finally got time the time to sit down and really um talk and yap with you guys and do the solo episode. So um next week will be a an interview episode and then a solo episode again. So we're gonna try that dynamic and see if that works out. And if not, we'll do like every other week so we can like space it out for um a voice acting work because I myself am a voice actor, if you guys didn't know already. Um I also do content creating um uh a whole bunch of it. I try to post at least once a day, five days a week on Instagram right now and on TikTok. I try every day, but um it's seeming more like every other day. But um, if I have content to post, I do it every day. Um uh just to, you know, I might do it just five days a week as well from there, just so that way we can stick to that consistency and um really get like the quality of the content really good for you guys to watch for your viewing pleasure. Um and also I did like a recent cosplay of one of my characters for the very first time. Um, if you guys want to go check that out, it's on my Instagram, on my TikTok, um, of Dunya Makis and um from this venture camp. Um, the fan base has been uh absolutely amazing, and I'm so honored to be a part of this project and to have connected with all of you, and it's just been so so much fun, and I'm excited for more for more to come. So, yeah, that was just like a intro, x um a little bing in. Um and if you guys want to do that, everything everything that I have is under star Jackson369 S T A R Jackson 369. Um, and so with that being said, let's jump into the nerdism. So when I was um researching what um a nerd is, um I found out that the nerd the word the term nerd means nut or or nutcase. When I first when I when I first saw it, I was like, oh my gosh, nutcase? What do you what does that mean? Like I didn't know that, but it makes kind of sense because it both starts with N. So I was like, I was shocked, but also I was like, okay, that kind of makes sense. Um it was it was also I thought what that was surprising, but not really surprising. That is a US term, so it's from America and where I'm from. Um so I was also shocked that it was from America, but not really, because I don't it just it didn't seem like a word that was like from another like country meaning. Um it was it was formed in the 1940s, um, meaning stupid or crazy person as well. So it was very like negative terms, which I saw. And it was popular popularized in the 1940s, um, from its heavy use in a sitcom. So it really started showing effect in a sitcom called Happy Days. Um, I personally uh haven't heard of it because I don't really watch sitcoms like that. Um I really should because um I heard they're like a lot of them are really good, but um the so apparently that happy days really was talking about that a lot. And um and then people started using the term um and really started using the term after that. Um it's the same with the the word geek in the 19th century, um, it was can it was considered like foolish or it could be offensive, and it was it's actually from a low German word, the word geek. Um it usually means worthless or you know, just really really negative terms. And you wonder why, like why being a nerd would be um negative because it all's coming from like you know, like negative terms, um, which I've I've seen, I've noticed. Um same thing with weeb or it comes from the word weeboo, which appeared actually really early on, or like really recently on as at the time of this podcast, um, in the in the thou two thousands, um, and um it came from the Perry Bible Fellowship webcomic. Um, it was without a reference to the Japanese culture though, but Christopher Poole Fletcher replaced uh it with uh replaced uh something on his website. He replaced uh the word w weep anise to we with weeboo. So um I believe that was a defining factor um in the evolution of that word as well. Um it was a non it was uh considered a non-japan person, a non-Japanese person that was really into Japanese culture, so it was called a wannabe. So weeboo was like a derived from wannabe. So um uh so yeah, yeah, I uh yeah. Um, and as well as dweeb, it's American slang. That one is actually American sling as well in the 20th century. Um, it's derived from like dwarf and feeble, feeb minded, studious, socially inept person. Um, so it's kind of like a mixture of weeb and nerd and geek all together. Um, but as a collective, nerd nerd culture and passions, um, uh it's basically what it what it is. It's like we it's like as being a nerd is pretty much like a whole bunch of people loving certain hobbies um and passions and coming together as a community and becoming and intricating intricate and and and putting it into ordinary, regular, day-to-day life, like gaming, DD, anime, manga, streaming, um, you name it, um, and VTubing, uh, all that good stuff, comics and and more. Um, and it's like a hobby that never gets old. Um, the history of it though, uh, from it being negative to positive was really interesting to me. Um, as I turn and flip my page. Um I've noticed that within life, sometimes people push away things they don't understand. And I feel like with uh the weeb culture, it's very different um than having like a you know a regular hobby, so to speak. Um there's so much that goes into the fandom. Um you have posters and um and you have cosplayers and you have like different activities that you can do that you could play with dice with and that you could do role play. There's so many other things and um that are under it. And um sometimes I give me a lot for one person who who's never seen anything nerdy to understand, but um, but I I've come to realize um um without throughout the years with with media with media and things along those nature that when somebody gives the opportunity to open up and and really and really see what something is all about and and really just be open-minded just to see and um they might actually like it themselves. And then, you know, when that happens, they might pass it on to somebody else because they might see them playing with something that really looks really cool and they get interested in that, then they tell their friends and so forth and so forth. And um, it's really shown like the power of uh of of the love and the passion of things that we like, um, when it's strong, it can move on and be placed upon others. And even with m especially with known people, like people who are celebrities, um, if they might like something and they they're very passionate about it and they show it and other people see that they like it, they'll be like, Oh, that's really cool. Let me get into that. Or they could be like, you know, I've heard about this stuff and I didn't think it was kind of cool, but since the person that I look up to thinks it's cool, let me go check it out and see what it's all about. You know, it kind of creates like a sort of domino exp the effect. For example, how I got into anime personally, um, when I was in college, um, first I heard about it a lot from my sister. She would always tell me all the time, watch this anime, watch that anime. It's so good. You'll you'll love anime. It's like Digimon, because technically I got her into anime. Just saying, because I used to watch Digimon all the time growing up. I didn't really watch Pokemon, but I did watch Digimon a lot. I watched Avatar the Last Airbender. I honestly think I said anime. Do not argue with me. I know it's anime, even though it's um an American anime, which is a Western animation. But um Avatar to Airbender was one of them. Digi Digimon was definitely one because it is actually an anime. Um, and I didn't know that at the time. I watched Puka also growing up. I believe that one was anime, but I'm not sure if it's an anime anime. But um uh if you guys remember JetX, I don't know if you remember that. I used to watch it on that um series, and then my sister got into it from me watching like small stuff like that. I remember when Toonami used to can't come on, but um I used to have to like change the channel because I was too young to watch it, and I actually um I actually followed the rules and didn't want to get in trouble, so I would turn it off Toonami. But right before I turned on the TV, I would see anime sometimes and I would be like, Oh, that's so cool. Like Futurama and stuff like that, and then I would turn it off because I I was like, Oh, I shouldn't be watching this. This isn't for kids. Um But um she was telling me like all all about anime and how is this, how is that, and that I should really like really get into it. Like she knew that I would get into it, and I'm just like nah, it looks like it's for it's like it's cartoons, and I don't really like cartoons. And then she was like, No, it's adult cartoons though. They're adult cartoons, and they're more than just cartoons, like it just trust me, just try this anime. She was trying to get me like on the starter anime, and then I I didn't I still didn't budge because I was just like um I tried to dabble in it, um, just looking to see what she was what she was speaking of, and I was like, I wasn't really convinced until I remember um after class one day, um, I met with a friend, um a friend, two friends actually. They were sitting um just chilling after class or before class talking about anime and seeing both of them like bounce off each other, saying like how this anime was so cool and that anime was so cool, and oh you should watch this one. Um, it has this and that. The world building is amazing. And I was just like in awe of them just talking about you know these these cartoons, and I was like, Oh, that is really cool. Um, and um it really convinced me. I was like, so if one was to get into anime, what would you suggest they watch? And then the both of the seeing them both of their eyes light up, be like, oh, do we have a list for you? So they had like this huge list of um they was like, write this one down, and I have my phone out, so I wrote like a whole bunch of anime down to watch. Um, and I told them the genre that I typically like, and um, and we talked for like hours um before class, and I was really excited and really happy to dig into it because um I liked I liked what I saw. I remember I think Tokyo Cool was really one of them too, like one of my starter animes. But the starter starter was Attack on Titan because I remember my sister watching it in the living room, and I was walking by and I saw the um the big Titan, the big Titan, um the Colossal Titan, and I was just walking by like getting some food, and I was like, What is that? I was like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, like what are you watching? And then she was like, I told you it's anime, you gotta watch. I was like, yo, that is so cool. And then so I was like, I think I was either doing the dishes or making food or something. And then while I was doing that, I was my eyes were glued on the TV. I was like, this is anime? They were cursed, like, I don't know what they were cursing, but it was like very intense. And it was like, I was like, I did not think it would be like this. I was like, oh, I got I gotta watch it. What is this one called? And she was like, Oh, do I got a story for you? And then she told me about Attack on Titan, and then she told me she gave me a bunch of lists again um to to to do to read or to watch, and I finally like was like, Okay, I'm locked in. I was like, I gotta learn more about it. And that's how the the blossom or the flower the seed bloomed of my anime spree. And ever since then I've been like I've been like an anime head. Um I watch a lot. I've watched so many animes, and it's just been so fun because it it's helped me go into a world um of of fun and not having to worry about work or or whatever that's going on in my life and to be able to just get away and watch it for 30 minutes, you know, or however long the episode is or episodes, because we you know when you watch anime you want to watch more than one and sometimes we we anime hop. We anime hop around here. But um uh it really like helped me, especially like with my jaws and everything working and um it helped me get through a depression. One Piece definitely did. Um and um I love Tokyo Tool, Attack on Titan, Fairy Tale was a really big one too that um I started. Um and um it r it just I I I really didn't wanted to know more and learn more and you know and and and helped me uh get through the really tough days. So um and then and then even then um uh like um cons, cons were are a really big thing now too. And it was like for geeks first societies being able to just go to a place where you could truly be yourself and not have to worry about anyone making fun of you. Um I remember, you know, I remember never hearing of them before and and now there's almost a con every week, especially in the summertime. It's it's really cool and it's really fun to see the growth of the w the nerdism, the weedism, and seeing it grow in like the past like the past years, like from Comic-Con, um, like Comic-Con, Star Trek, Science Science C science scientific adventures collector, scientific collectors conventions, it's like a sense of belonging, you know, and it grew and it suddenly became cool, and um and like um and then stuff like you know, Stranger Things, um, um Big Bang Theory, Ugly Betty, you know, things super bad, stuff with like um that are derived like a little bit from anime started to pop up and started to make anime even more popular. Um, and um and more famous people, m one of my favorites, Meghan the Stallion, talks about all the time, which is so cool. It's so cool cool seeing her cosplay and seeing her um seeing her talk about her favorite anime and really like and getting more people into anime because she's in the anime. It's just it's just amazing. And seeing it go from like the 2000s to like the 2010s. The 2010s um was a really big um it was really starting to get in like my hero academia was popping, popping, um um with uh and you know, game nights, um having meetings, going having casual conversations, people doing the Naruto run because it's cool now, and like it is in it's been insane. And um, and even seeing stuff like Critical Role on YouTube, um, have and being in c and like and it's and it's for anybody. Anybody can jump in, LGBTQ, black, white, blue, like anybody and who is anybody can be a nerd and just be accepted because they're just them. Um, it's it's just a really beautiful thing to me. And um, I'm so excited to see where Alice Anime goes from here because honestly, this is just the beginning. I really hope you guys enjoyed this solo um episode of me just yapping. And um don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe. Um, give us a five star rating wherever you listen to the podcast, and um share with your friends. And um, if you if you like this and you want to see more about me and my journey, um it's at Star Jackson369 on everything, Dweep City. Um, I am also gonna put this audio on the YouTube. Um it won't be audio because I didn't have I mean video because I didn't have time but we'll have the audio on the picture on a picture or something. Um but thank you guys so much so much for listening your support means the absolute world and I'm so excited to see you all in the next one. Peace stays stay sparkling peace