Before I start this article, I’d like to say that it is meant to be taken seriously. It is not a satirical article, though it will contain some trace elements of humour. I’m also not poking fun at nerds. We all know a stereotypical nerd. Some will have known them in high school. Others will know them now, in work or as friends. Others still are actually nerds themselves. But I’m not talking about this kind of nerds. These are the kind of people who are generally quite hard-working. The kind of nerd I’m talking about is the “nerd among us”. You know the ones. They seem really “normal”, but they have some…odd interests. For some it might be computer coding, for others it might be a TV show from the 1980s that they still watch.

When I was younger, around 5 years old, I used to love watching “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”. It was my favourite show. The only show that came close to being as enjoyable was Sonic the Hedgehog. When “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie” was released in 1995, I was ecstatic. I must have watched it at least 10 times. As I grew up, I stopped watching the programme. A few years ago, I found an old video. I popped it in my VCR to check out what it was. It turned out it was that very same movie. I watched it once and cringed at how bad it actually was.

I decided to give it to my friend’s little brother, who wasn’t even born when the movie had been released. I figured that he might enjoy it somewhat. If not, he might just be able to use it as something to joke about with his brother. When I came back the next week, I was shocked. It was on the television, but it wasn’t the younger brother watching it; it was my best friend. Not just that though. I was told he had watched it repeatedly. The most disrupting part of the whole event was that he was quoting the movie as it was going on. He was saying all the lines that the characters were saying, as they were saying them.

At first I thought this was extremely nerdy, perhaps even a little pathetic. Over the next few weeks, we all joked about it. Slowly though, it dawned on me. Sure, it was nerdy, but it was also pretty cool. Here is a guy who had the passion to learn every line from a movie that most people have probably never seen. And that is what is so amazing and cool about this kind of nerd. They might have some “nerd-ish” qualities, but the most amazing part of their personality is their passion and desire. It is undoubtedly very cool to have that much passion and desire to enjoy yourself.