“Nerds of Steel,” an article in this week’s New York Observer, purports that there are a bunch of men who, though they seemingly value brains over brawn, actually value brains in addition to brawn, but in secret. They are smart. They are buff. They are hot once they take off their clothes. I am slightly skeptical that these men exist because nerdiness has such cachet right now. People who wear glasses and read On the Sensations of Tone for fun but know all the coolest bands and are slightly shy are actually not nerds, but “cool nerds.” Cool nerds are a different breed. I would expect that some of this kind would be interested in developing their pecs but wouldn’t want anyone else to know, for fear of ruining their bookish persona. It seems like real nerds would be smart enough to know the benefits of physical fitness and wouldn’t care whether people think they’re less nerdy because they’re toned. But if you’re working on the cure for cancer or developing a new particle physics theory, how do you find time to work out? [NY Observer]
