Summary: If you clicked this link then chances are you’re in fact a fellow nerd. We’d like to thank you ahead of time for pulling yourself away from World of Warcraft and blessing us with your presence. So what was it that grabbed your attention? Was it the geeky pics in the article’s banner or just the word “nerd” alone that brought you here? In any case, here are five of the most popular nerd arguments you’ll find anywhere… though mostly in the dorkiest corners of the internet. If we happen to miss your favorite nerd argument don’t get your Spiderman undies in a twist, there will be more where this came from. For now lets get started with the classics… 5. George Lucas Raped My Childhood! THE ARGUMENT: This outrageous declaration came about due to the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The basic view is that the prequels were so ridiculously awful that they tarnished the legacy of the original films. Furthermore, George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars universe, was also summarily held responsible for the metaphorical raping of the memories of Star Wars fans. At least we think that’s what the “raped my childhood statement” means. This ugly argument / whine-fest began in 1999 with the release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Since then it has raged on endlessly via message boards across the internet. THE PLAYERS: On one side we have those who are fiercely loyal to the original (Holy) trilogy. This portion of the fan-base truly wanted to enjoy the three prequels but for whatever reasons they were enormously let down. Too much Jar-Jar, too much clunky dialogue, too much cheesy romance, too much CGI… the list goes on and on. Because these fans were disappointed and their expectations were not met there’s been hell to pay. We assume Mr. Lucas has excellent security. On the flip side there are the Prequel lovers. Though not as plentiful or as vocal as the original trilogy fans they are a formidable group. These fans either got a kick out of Jar-Jar or were indifferent toward his idiocy. Most importantly these fans simply accept the prequels for what they are and enjoy them, flaws and all. It’s also worth noting that some of these fans grew up with the prequels in the same way that the generation before them grew up with the original trilogy. THE DAMAGE REPORT: In the eyes of George Lucas the six films are simply all part of one unified saga. However in the eyes of many bitter fans it’s a whole other story. The Star Wars fan-base is insanely split on this point. There’s no end in sight for the geek rage this discussion ignites on a daily basis. 4. Joel vs. Mike: The Ultimate MST3K Battle THE ARGUMENT: This argument is firmly tied to the critically acclaimed television show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. The series featured a man and his robot sidekicks trapped on a space station and forced to watch countless terrible movies. The “Joel vs. Mike” debate began way back in the fall of 1993 after Mike Nelson took over for Joel Hodgson as host of the show and consequently began riffing films in his place. The Great “Joel vs. Mike Flame-war” is infamous amongst “Mysties” as it sharply divided the fan-base and caused lots of bad blood. You’d think we could all get together and watch horrible movies in peace, but noooo. THE PLAYERS: On one side there were the loyal old-school fans of Joel (who was also the creator of the series). On the other side were fans that embraced the new guy Mike and dared to suggest he was a better host. Naturally there was no right or wrong answer in the scenario. Comparing Joel and Mike was like comparing apples and oranges. Or to put it in geek language, it was like comparing Hobbits to Dwarves. THE DAMAGE REPORT: At one time “Joel vs. Mike” debates were actually forbidden in many moderated discussion forums. Seriously, the topic was considered off limits and taboo. The blanket ban was imposed due to countless flaming incidents which made it clear that the issue sparked nothing but insanity. Basically [...]
