It's Like Raging Against the Machine, But From Your Parents' Basement

I would like to take today's post to address a topic that seems to be worsening lately. I see it all the time. In movie theaters. In chat rooms. In comic book and video game shops. Even on Slashdot. (Especially on Slashdot.)

Nerdrage.

A lot of people suffering from nerdrage don't even realize they have a problem. They simply feel that they are standing up for a set of standards that they believe in and feel they must defend, some ethical code that should prevent the use of characters or events that they once followed to be diluted in some fashion. So how can you, as a reader of DLOG, tell if you have succumbed to nerdrage? Lets try a few tests, shall we?

What is your immediate reaction to the following image?

1. It's an interesting composition as well as an effective bit of foreshadowing to the events of the film.


2. It's a disappointing reminder that the second trilogy did not live up to my expectations.


3. GAAAH! GEORGE LUCAS RAPED MY CHILDHOOD! THAT KID WAS SO @&#%ING ANNOYING! JAR JAR BINKS IS THE DEVIL!

Hmmm. Let's try another one. Here's the newly redesigned Starship Enterprise that will be featured in next year's new feature lenght film.

1. Interesting. It's kind of sleeker than I remember the Enterprise being.


2. The lower hull is too small. Look how much space is left behind the nacelle pylons on the TV version. The neck, I'll admit, may just be due to the angle, or could really be a result of the shortened aft section, which is why I am waiting for the trailer before I really decide whether I hate it or not. So far, I'm leaning towards liking it, again, because of the angle of the shot. But the rear of the lower hull, where the shuttle bay should be, just looks too short even at the angle seen in the preview.


3. It's clear that these guys don't care about Star Trek. This movie isn't even attempting to be cannon. And they're not including Shatner. WHAT THE #%$* IS THAT? MAKING A TREK MOVIE ABOUT TOS WITHOUT THE SHAT? %#$@ YOU J.J. "SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AT ALIAS PIECE OF #%$@" ABRAMS. YOU GO TO HELL! YOU GO TO HELL AND YOU DIE!

Finally, how does the following statement make you feel?

Each and every one of the Halo games sucked.

1. Well, while not the most innovative games, they did prove that a quality first person shooter could succeed on a console.


2. I actually quite enjoyed those games, and find them to stand equal to any other first person shooter game out there.


3. You're a fag, and you and your entire fag family should die in a fire.

If you answered 3 to any of these questions, then you are absolutely in the grips of nerdrage. If you answered 2, you need to watch out - it's all too easy to slip over the edge from "thoughtful consumer" to "rabid, raving fanboy". If you bothered answering the questions at all, you might be surprised to find that you are, in fact, a nerd. Welcome to our fold.

Please people - be aware that nerdrage is a serious issue. Just because we can hide behind internet anonymity doesn't make it alright to rage against our fellow man. We can all be fans, and still respect someone else's opinions and visions of the works that we have enjoyed in the past. If we disapprove, it's as easy as not watching, reading, playing, or spending money on those works of which you disapprove, or simply turning the other cheek on those whose opinions differ from our own.

Unless of course someone tries to @%#$ up the Monkey Island series. Them we hunt down and painfully destroy.