Do you like a lot of nerdy things, but don’t necessarily consider yourself a nerd? If so, you’ll fit in right here. Some of us nerds, some of us aren’t, but the important thing is where we intersect… because at that intersect is NERD NATION! Captain Influence is back to help Brian break down what it actually means to be a "renaissance nerd".
The Renaissance Nerd. Have you heard us throw this around before? If you've been listening long enough, chances are you have! I've heard Brian use it a lot and though at first it didn't strike me as in a particular way, it's growing on me. In my experience, Renaissance is usually closely followed by the word Festival (which to some is like saying Comic Con, eh?). And it isn't even that I've necessarily had bad experiences at Renaissance Festivals, it's just that I tend to associate them with a very particular kind of person. Not unlike those who attend a comic con!
There's an old saying... "Only those who are inside the convent know what is going on inside." Being a nerd, attending your flavor of festival, is not overtly exclusive. They're actually remarkably inclusive, welcoming anyone who wants to come (with... some exceptions... Brian mentions on the podcast our first foray into podcasting for the TV series "The Flash"). We embrace this idea of a renaissance nerd, acknowledging that we all enjoy nerdy things, but might not necessarily be "nerds". However, some of us are... and it's where these interests overlap that make having this show so much fun. Our variety of guests brings different flavors to the show and we learn all sorts of interesting stuff.
In case you are curious... polymath is the Greek term for someone whose expertise spans a wide variety of topics. Polymath and "universal man" were commonly used... until the Renaissance era came about and due to the cultural explosion that took place during that time, and the likes of Leonardo di Vinci, the term Renaissance Man eventually fell into popular use, but mostly in referring to those who were "gifted" and didn't just enjoy a wide variety of things. But I think that the term still accomplishes what it sets out to do... by the nature of the term nerd (someone who takes a more-than-casual interest in something), we don't just taste hobbies... we devour them. And that inadvertently makes us experts.
Whether you like it or not, you probably fall into this category because you're listening to the show! Do you agree? Leave a comment to join the conversation!