I’ve been a Christian most of my life. I really love Jesus and every day I try to be more and more like him. That really is the point of the Christian life: trying to be more and more like Jesus. So we read the Bible, we see Jesus’ example and then we try to follow that example in our everyday lives.
For nerds, though, Jesus’ isn’t the only example we follow. There are certain nerdy role models whose influence we allow to seep into our daily lives. Here are some nerdy examples I find myself following.
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
I’m not British so tea isn’t really a big thing for me. I drink at least two cups of coffee a day and, if it wasn’t for the influence of one Starfleet Captain, I don’t think I’d ever drink tea. A few times a week, though, instead of loading another coffee cartridge into my Keurig K-Cup machine, I’ll load up an Earl Grey tea cartridge. I don’t know if Captain Picard drank anything other than Earl Grey tea. His replicator order of “Tea. Early Grey. Hot.” is forever entrenched in my memory. When I make my Earl Grey tea I’ll often quote Picard to my Keurig. I don’t think the Keurig is advanced enough to understand what I mean but it makes me happy.
Jedi Door Tricks
I want to be a Jedi. And not one of the lame librarian Jedi that takes care of books, but one that’s flying around the galaxy, swinging a lightsaber and seeking justice on Outer Rim worlds. Unfortunately, though, I’m not a Jedi. I have a few different lightsabers but they’re nothing more than glorified flashlights. I don’t have a Jedi starfighter; instead I drive around in a soccer mom car. I don’t have Jedi powers but every time I walk through an automatic door I pretend like a do. I would love to put a camera above an automatic door and see how many people subtlety wave their hand, pretending to exert their Jedi powers in order to enter the store. I know that camera would catch me doing it almost every single time, smiling to myself because in that small moment I really feel like a Knight of the Old Republic.
Dystopian Indifference
I finally read 1984 last year and appreciated the dystopian future created by George Orwell. I obviously would hate to live in a world governed by totalitarian governments locked in a never-ending war. For an introvert like me, though, there is something appealing about people walking quickly to and from their homes, avoiding eye contact and keeping everyone at a distance, for fear they might be secret police. I try to emulate this dystopian indifference as much as possible. At church and with our youth group I do my best to engage with people and be a part of their lives. When I’m just walking through the grocery store, though, I might as well be Winston Smith or Bernard Marx. I want to get in the store, get my milk and pita bread, and get out. I know the grocery checker isn’t a member of the secret police but sometimes I treat her like she is.
Ignoring people at the grocery store probably isn’t the most Christlike thing to do, which is why we should ultimately model our lives and behavior after Jesus instead of nerdy characters. Captain Picard made a difference in a fictional version of the 24th century but Jesus made the biggest difference in our actual universe. If we’re going to follow one example, it should probably be that of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
That won’t keep me from saying, “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” to my Keurig.
What nerdy examples do you follow in your everyday life?
Laddie, ye canna forget Mr. Scott from the Enterprise!
I’ve been known more than once in my job as a software engineer to try a quick rebuild or two when chasing a problem bug, to say: “Try er now, Mr. Kyle” in a bad imitation of a scottish accent.
Who hasn’t impersonated Mr. Scott?
“Ignoring people at the grocery store probably isn’t the most Christlike thing to do, which is why we should ultimately model our lives and behavior after Jesus instead of nerdy characters.” – Ha! Indeed! I love it!
Great post. Back when I was a rebooted BSG fan (i.e., before the lamentable back half of the third season, when it all went off the rails), I used to like to say “Good hunting” and “So say we all.” The nerdiest example I ever followed, though, was when I had a flip-style cell phone. I always pictured Captain Kirk opening and shutting his communicator. Oh, I miss my flip-style phone!
Ooh, I definitely did the flip phone communicator thing. Good call.
I agree that the second part of BSG’s third season got off the rails. I read somewhere that SyFy wanted to make the show more accessible so they asked Moore to make more self-contained episodes. I think the ratings suffered and the producers were able to get back to what they wanted to do for the fourth season. The first part of the third season with the occupation and exodus were the best episodes of the series, though.
It took me a while to come around to appreciating the occupation/exodus storyline, but I eventually did. Once they were back aboard the Galactica, things were never quite the same. But I guess that’s a discussion for another time!
I just remember my jaw dropping when the Galactica entered the atmosphere. I think that was one of the greatest moments in science fiction television history.
It’s not my origianal comment, but the first time I watched this, when Galactica jumped back out and you heard a “boom”….was that a sonic-like boom or the sound of my jaw striking the floor?
I used to have a flip phone with the Power Ranger call and I would always think “Rangers” coming from a Zordon voice. That and I have light sayber fights with my son
Earl Grey tea cartridge?
Oh dear…oh dear, oh dear…. I’m sure Captain Picard’s replicated Early Grey tea is replicated from tea made with a tea bag….
Oh, and you forgot to mention using Jedi skills with paper towel dispensers…
I’m pretty sure that’s not how replicators work.
And very good call with the paper towel dispensers. We have those at church; I use them all the time.