Freaks Geeks And Cool Kids Summary

Pigtails, thick glasses, high waisted pants, and headgear. What do those words remind you of? Americas culture has stereotyped nerds and geeks like this. Many people, especially in the past, have felt ashamed and ostracized to be who they were. The word “nerd and geek” used to be a derogatory name according to Leonid Fridman the author of “America Needs Its Nerds”. However, in modern day these words are not as harmful or insulting as they were in the past. Many students are ashamed of their intelligence because society has not accepted “nerds” and “geeks”. While Fridman is correct in certain aspects of his essay, some statements he makes are overexaggerated.

In high school, we have always seen the few people who tend to stick out more than other people. These people seem to have an answer for every time the teacher has a question and receive A’s on every test, quiz, or homework grade. These are the people who are classified by society as nerds. Many nerds are well known through-out society. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, and Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, are just a couple of the many nerds in the world who have impacted society in a huge way; however, many nerds are ostracized from the world. Because nerds study rather than socialize and think on a faster pace than the average human, nerds are typically ostracized from society.

First, society mainly focuses on the media and its portrayals. Shows like The Big Bang Theory help prove this point. The show represents“nerds” as socially awkward beings who can barely interact with people. For example, Sheldon is outstandingly smart and knows basically everything, but is so socially awkward that he can barely even talk to other people besides his friends. The show sets up the stereotype that nerds are quirky and laughed at. As Penrod states in his essay, “any drive toward intelligence or education becomes laughable in the eyes of media-inundated young people” (755-56). Furthermore, the media also tends to focus on celebrities who dropped out of school like “Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock, L.L. Cool J., and Sammy Sosa” (755). While we tend to focus on the latest gossip we as a society do not care about the

Thank you for sharing! As what you mentioned, there are many groups in the high school that have their own group rules which every members should follow. For example, in the movie “Mean Girls”, Regina (Rachel Adams) was excluded by the other two girls in their group because she didn't wear the outfit required in their rules. What’s more, gossip and talking behind people’s back have been another issue during high school years, which reminds the audience of their pain and hurt in the past. Consequently, the genre films reflect the reality and provide an outlet of people’s emotion and appeals, which are produced by their high school experiences. On the other hand, beside the mean girls, there are many other images which generate from

Between the “Gilmore Girls” reboot and the “Full House” spin-off, our childhood is returning to us, and it’s all thanks to good old Netflix (and no thanks to chill). In case the company is looking for more content to work with, here are 11 other great shows that Netflix should consider reviving.

In the course of life, one never “graduates” from working on identity; one simply redefines oneself with the materials at hand (Turkle 158). Identity is at the center of adolescent life, and there is arguably no series that understands the workings of the American teenager better than Freaks and Geeks. Simultaneously cringe-worthy and relatable, the series depicts adolescence with simplicity and humor, rather than the fantasy many hoped their high school lives could have been. Freaks and Geeks was created by Paul Feig for the 1999-2000 television season, airing on NBC during the 8-9pm timeslot. A total of eighteen episodes were created for its lone season, though only twelve were aired due to its early cancellation. Its short-lived run, however,

In high school we think that everything matters. Yes, in the long run the huge decisions we make do matter, but who you date, and what sport you’re in, may not matter in the real world. We all believe that we belong to a certain…’cliche’. When in reality that’s just who we decide to be friends with. As for me some may say i'm not the most popular and that i'm lacking style, putting me in the ‘geek/lameo’ category. People need to realize that labels don’t matter.

The essay talks about the different factors in high school that may or may not impact who we emerge as in our adult years. Annie explicates thats “[High school] is a chilling vision. The cutthroat competition, ruthless power plays and rigid status hierarchy”. (Murphy 1) High school is not the same for everyone there are different groups and cliques within the school that set individuals apart from each other. The stereotypes attached to high school is developing over the years with similarities throughout generations Murphy states that “popular culture is dominated by depictions of high school: Glee and Gossip Girl, High School Musical and Prom. Earlier generations mined the same terrain, from Grease and The Breakfast Club to Beverly Hills

Inclusion is a vital issue that engrosses adolescents which they strive to attain, at the expense of losing their real selves. In Warrington and Younger’s article, Life is a Tightrope, they discuss the adolescents’ urge to conform to their peer groups which act as a “security blanket” that provide comfort and support (Warrington & Younger, 2011). Both sexes must continually ‘invest’ in their physical appearances in exchange for acceptance while also performing appropriately and sustaining a sociable personality. Neglecting own desires, conformity constrains them to fall into their stereotypical gender categories which they must follow to uphold their images. The significance of the notion of “coolness” and “popularity” slowly integrate into

Anyone who says that high schoolers gossip more than any other age group must never have gone to my elementary school. The girls in my class would sneakily slip pens and markers into their pockets to scribble rumors and insults all over the bathroom stalls, no matter how often the janitors tried to wipe them away. I had never expected to find anything written about myself, but even I was not safe from their tyranny. In black ink, someone had hastily scrawled a message: “Laura Grant is a crybaby.” I was awash with embarrassment and shame, but the words did not surprise me. As a child, I considered every inconvenience to be the end of the world and shied away from discomfort and responsibility. The potential for failure or mistakes left me paralyzed and crying. As time passed, my tears eventually ceased, but my fears and insecurities never seemed to follow suit. It was a never ending cycle of holding myself back from trying anything new or risky.

“As teenagers grow into adolescence, they face a number of challenges including peer pressure, school, social cliques, drama, and many other things that come with the process of growing up”(Giang para. 1). This changes their social life with the world. “ Social cliques are part of human nature and can’t be stopped if they’re going to happen naturally. But everyone felt secure about themselves as individuals, I suppose there wouldn’t be any in-group or out-group cliques”(Giang para. 7) This is

It is not easy for youth to imagine a realm that is existential outside of parental control. Little do they know that each time they close the door to their mothers’ mini vans or step off of the bus and on to school grounds, they enter one. Of course, there are adults present on the campus as well, but even their ascendancy is rendered useless in the stratified hierarchy that the students have constructed. Within the walls of a high school, there is an entire power structure that exists unbeknownst to those who have out grown it, despite living through it themselves. While the exact details and levels of these hierarchies may vary from school to school, the overall effect is the same: teens discover an outlet to demonstrate authority and find

Peers can be a nasty mob. With this generation it’s more pressure on the youth to be part of the “In Crowd.” It’s not only your weight or attitude, now it’s what you wear, how many unnecessary; but to die for gadgets you have, and who can be the first to get them. The criterion to fit in has gotten ridiculous. I see the peer pressure with my youngest sister. My mother is spending hundreds of dollars on merchandise for my younger sister to keep up with the latest fade. If it’s not for some outrageous gadget, it’s to wear some overpriced strangers logo that’s just going to go out of style as fast as it came in. It’s sad because when I was my sister’s age it wasn’t as crucial for me. I mean, it was social comparison but I guess because I wasn’t wrapped up in being part of the “in crowd” like my younger sister, it just didn’t matter. With the era being a crucial time when a young teen is at their peak of developing their self- image, their self- esteem can easily be sided positive or negative. It’s difficult because as a young teen you

Everyone has had their fair share of high school drama; whether it’s rude stares down the hallway, distant whispering behind the back, spreading rumors about students and faculty, social sabotage, or segregated school lunch tables. The teen drama film Mean Girls delves into the sociocultural environment of teenage academia. This two-hour film documents how Cady, the new girl from Africa, starts her first day of public school. Throughout her high school adventures she learns the social hierarchy and rules created by the students for the students. As she begins to adjust, she climbs the social ladder and becomes one of the cool kids, or as everyone calls them, The Plastics. In the article, “High-School Confidential Notes on Teen Movies,” by David Denby, he claims that the enemy in teen movies is not the authority figure as some may believe, but rather it is the students themselves, and the surrounding climate that they create. The film Mean Girls is the perfect example that showcases Denby’s claim through superiority mindsets, social cliques, and lack of parental involvement.

Society’s utilization of personal identity to form judgements of others is extremely apparent in the social hierarchy that is created in schools. In adolescence, we are categorized in groups. Every school has a popular group and an athletic group. Descriptions such as hippie, nerd, and goth are attributed to social circles. It is impossible to avoid these categorizations as a student, which makes the way we present ourselves to our peers especially important to our identity. My entire life, I have been known as a nerd. As a child, I was praised by my parents for my academic achievements, so I have, for the most part, always positively reacted to being categorized as such. By embracing this identity, I have caused myself to seek ways to reinforce it. I believe my academic success as a young adult is greatly attributed to the work I have exerted to reinforce this identity. I value my grades and am disappointed when they do not meet up with what I believe a ‘nerd’ should receive. I make an effort to associate myself with people who value their education and careers, so that I might be influenced by them to