The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School
By Alexandra Robbins
Hyperion, 2011. 436 pgs. Nonfiction

Alexandra Robbins new book focuses on her ‘Quirk Theory’ which states that the very characteristics that make some students outcasts during their middle school and high school years are the characteristics that may make them more successful adults once they enter the real world. To prove her point, she introduces readers to seven people representing the “lunchroom fringe”. We me meet the loner, the popular bitch, the nerd, the new girl, the gamer, the weird girl, and the band geek. Each of these characters is given a challenge to change other’s perceptions of them by stepping outside their comfort zone and engaging with others.

If you are reticent to return to the awkward moments we all had in high school, I’d veer clear of this book. However, if you are interested in the psychology of cliques and teen self esteem this is a great place to get an honest look at what it means to be a teen in today’s high schools. It is difficult not to start rooting for each of these characters as they try to make a difference and gain the confidence we wish all young adults had access to. Robbins ends the book with a list of things teens, parents, teachers and administrators can all do to improve the social aspects of our educational system. I believe the one overwhelming lesson to be taken from her narratives is that we need to encourage the celebration of diversity and individuality in ourselves and others, not only in high school, but far beyond.

CZ