Why We Hate the Smart Kids

Shamyra Jones
Vejea Jennings
English 097
March 23, 2013

Why Do We Hate The Smart Kids?
My initial reaction to Grant Penrod essay was flabbergasting because even thou I am not in high school anymore I could look back and remember how all the jocks did get more recognition then the nerds. In my days at school the nerds were the smart people or the teacher’s pet. According to Grant Penrod, “Social stereotypes began to emerge as early as high school.”(Grant. Chapter 57 Pg. 692) I agree with Grant because I remember when I was in the 10th grade walking with my friend Amber. we would always hang out in the quad area because that’s where all the popular kids hung out until one day we asked each other, “ Why don’t we ever hang out in the back?.” So we were heading down to the back of the school, and as eyes took in the scenery Amber whispered, “We can’t stay here.” We knew we couldn’t stay because everyone in the back was “nerds” or Geeks” and we didn’t want to be perceived as any one of those titles so we scurried to the quad again. But you have to ask yourself,” If teenagers judge the smart kids, then how does society judge other groups?” But being Invisible follows you into adulthood it does not end in high school because if someone was to invent something new and helpful and it became a success a very few people would know who invented the item, and that’s because the name of the person is not gloried as much as the creation. “Ignoring intellectuals both in both in school and later on in life crushes its victims.” (Grant .Chapter 57 pg. 694)
When I was younger my parents always scolded at me, “you have to get an education, and if you don’t you will be jobless and out on the streets!” And I would always reply back, “Then why do alot of football players and majority of the actors do and didn’t even finish high school. Why do they make more than people who actually graduated college?” That question is always in the back of my mind. “ Why do people who spend years in school make minimum wage but the people who are actors or rappers make billions of dollars and barely have any education?.” That’s a question I always wanted to ask but no one, not even my parents, seem to have the answer. Personally I think teachers should make the most since they are ones who actually teach everyone; including the doctors, nurses and firefighters. But it seems like everything is backwards: Instead the actors making billions and trillions, it should be the people who save like firefighters and doctors. I never quite understood it but what’s to understand.
I was never into popularity like my peers were because I was brought up on being the “Smart kid” and don’t be a statistic. My parents believed if you joined tons of clubs in middle school and in high school you get good grades in all the four years you were in high school then you would go to an excellent University and live comfortable for the rest of your life. My parents encouraged me to be “The nerd.” Don’t fit in! But like Grant mentioned in his essay that nerds are never gloried as much as the football players. Even thou I wasn’t into popularity I still wanted to be acknowledged for my intellectuality which was belittled. But wanting to “fit in” in high school was common, no one wants the title “nerds”, because if you are a nerd then you are never asked out, never invited to any parties or have any friends just because you are a nerd. “Nerds” are excluded from social activity because of their label, and that label in turn intensifies through the resulting lack of social contact.” (Grant Penrod) It could be due to the media because majority broadcast you don’t have to be smart to be successful. And if you look on the internet and see how much doctors make verses singers it is a big difference. I am not saying all singers or rappers didn’t go to school or/and they are not smart, but some do not have doctorates and make 80,000 a day. Lawyers don’t even make that much and they been in school for years. For being in school all those years you would think it would pay off. If I were a kid now I would think,” why go to school if I could just become a rapper or a singer and make more than people who actually go to school for years?” That is the way a lot of teenagers are thinking; about dropping out of high school because a lot of my guy friends are dropouts because they are noticing rappers are making more than people who graduated colleges. “Most people affected by the media are teenagers” (Grant Penrod). But that is because a lot of teenagers do what they call “what’s in”. If smoking is cool then majority of the teens will do it just because everyone is doing it . Some nerds will also go that far just to “fit in”. But fitting in does not guarantee automatically popularity.
I think you don’t have to hide your intellectuality for other people benefits, it’s not a handicap. It’s a gift that should be spread like a virus and acted upon on. You never know you may change someone life, you might inspire a drop-out to go back to school and get a degree because that is what we need in our society. Everyone is forgetting how important knowledge is and going for the short cut in life. Being someone helpful in the future requires enriching your knowledge; not just by improving it. When you enrich your knowledge you are improving for a better future; not just yours the generation next.