The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School

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The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School

by Alexandra Robbins (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 2,779 ratings · 534 reviews

When school lunchroom doors open, hungry students rush in, searching for tables where they wouldn't be outsiders. Of course, in middle school and high school, almost everyone is an outsider: the nerds, the new girls, the band geeks, the loners; even the "popular" cheerleaders. Alexandra Robbins' The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth takes us inside the hallways of real schools

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Hardcover, 448 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by Hyperion

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Jan 09, 2012 Alexandra Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

To thank you awesome Goodreads friends for the Best Nonfiction win, I'll be giving away FREE COPIES of the new Geeks paperback. Just head on over to facebook.com/authorAlexandraRobbins for a bunch of giveaways over the next week or two. There's a contest up there right now, based on the new Geeks video.

take care!
Alexandra

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May 16, 2012 P. Aaron Potter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: geek

The title is, unfortunately, simply wrong.

This *should* have been much more compelling. As an academic, an educator, a past and present (and future) geek, one with geeklings of my own, and a guy who genuinely wants to be optimistic about our future as a country and a species, I'd love to read about how the geeks - intelligent, semi-obsessive nerds who get way too into some abstruse knowledge - are going to take over and turn our overly pragmatic and materialistic society into the Star Trek unive...more The title is, unfortunately, simply wrong.

This *should* have been much more compelling. As an academic, an educator, a past and present (and future) geek, one with geeklings of my own, and a guy who genuinely wants to be optimistic about our future as a country and a species, I'd love to read about how the geeks - intelligent, semi-obsessive nerds who get way too into some abstruse knowledge - are going to take over and turn our overly pragmatic and materialistic society into the Star Trek universe of Gene Roddenberry and Gary Gygax's dreams.

Didn't happen in this book.

What we get instead is a series of fairly dull anecdotes. No significant statistical analysis. Poor scholarship. And word choices that make it very clear that Robbins has a chip on her shoulder about the size of a Borg cube. She *wants* geeks to win, so she uses snarky language to insult anyone who is mean to her adoptive 'subjects'...but totally ignores any evidence that might actually, you know, prove her thesis. Instead, she just comes across as even more judgmental and mean-spirited than the jerks who used to give all us geeks swirlies back in the day. Replacing one group of oppressive goons with your own is not the future I'm looking for. Happily, Robbins is just a lone voice in the wilderness, some distance away from the actually interesting advances in geek culture which have come about because, thanks to teh intahrnets, we can now find each other.

Mind you, while Robbins' thesis is deeply clouded by her personal wish-fulfillment, it's at least more sincere than all these yahoos jumping on the geek bandwagon because of the (90% false) belief that this is somehow a cultural watershed moment for nerds. The world is still, sadly, owned by business majors and jocks. Nerds do tech support and serve as the butt of jokes. The big difference is that improved communications technologies mean we now have conferences and readily available support groups. That's awesome, but let's not fall victim to the echo-chamber effect, guys.

Verdict: Go read *anything* by Wil Wheaton instead.
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Feb 23, 2012 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This book both broke my heart and made it soar. The author followed a handful of high school outcasts for a year and chronicled their experiences, and the stories they tell are so reminiscent of what I (and quite a few other people, I'm sure) went through that the long-dormant, but very familiar, feelings of anger, resentment and despair bubbled up inside me as I read. Danielle, the "Loner", is almost my perfect foil. When she detailed how her books were better friends to her than most people ha...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in social science

Shelves: non-fiction, ologies-and-osophies, 2012-reads, usa

Goodreads readers picked wisely choosing this book as the 2011 Readers Choice Winner for non-fiction. Although my edition was 396 pages I wasn't bored for a second. Robbins introduces the reader to 7 "outcasts" of the public school system and follows them through their school year: Joy, the new girl; Whitney, the popular bitch; Blue, the gamer; Eli, the nerd; Noah, the band geek; Regan, the weird girl and Danielle, the loner. The author did a wonderful job of finding diverse subjects with entire...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Amy added it

I have enough to say about this book that I could write a good ol' fashioned book report on it, but I will try to keep my words to a minimum since I lack eloquence.

This is an interesting book, albeit with an idea that isn't revolutionary. Geeks rule the world? Shocker. In an age where technology is king, it only makes sense that the skinny, albino computer nerd will one day become the next Silicon Valley employee and the popular jock will be seriously disappointed when he can't go pro. And altho...more I have enough to say about this book that I could write a good ol' fashioned book report on it, but I will try to keep my words to a minimum since I lack eloquence.

This is an interesting book, albeit with an idea that isn't revolutionary. Geeks rule the world? Shocker. In an age where technology is king, it only makes sense that the skinny, albino computer nerd will one day become the next Silicon Valley employee and the popular jock will be seriously disappointed when he can't go pro. And although I see and somewhat agree with this idea, I also find it to be a flaw: generalizations and stereotypes ruled this book. Every single outcast was brilliant and amazing and destined for greatness (if only he could find a way to pass those classes, overcome his fear of talking, etc.) Guess what? Not all nerds are smart! I have taught this type and made the assumption that if he's a nerd, he must at least be smart. And of course everyone has their own skills and talents, but sometimes the nerds aren't school smart, or inherently good at math. And plenty of popular people ARE smart and have the qualities necessary to succeed in life beyond the confines of high school.
I appreciated that she wrote about teachers but she made us sound like we all behave as bad as high schoolers with cliques and gossip and backstabbing. I experienced more of this working at Wells Fargo for a couple of summers than I did at all the schools I volunteered, student taught and taught in. Yes, teachers do have the potential to do this, but anything I saw was extremely mild and the "worst" of it was at a new high school with an unusually young staff.

Robbins also portrayed schools as institutions that promote being cool and athletic, without giving merit to students who are involved in "educational" activities (math clubs, etc.) I am not so naive as to think these schools exist, but once again, I have taught across the country and this has never been my experience. During my junior year, being on the chess team became quite popular. In my calc 2 class, we made shirts (a tradition they did every year) and we wore them with pride on every test day. (And there were plenty of "popular" kids in this math class.) I have taught at schools where Debate Team, Mock Trial and the Robotics Club were big deals that were recognized in morning announcements. And I have NEVER been at or worked at a school where being smart was labeled as uncool.

I found one of her examples especially ironic: at a school where a teacher tried to start a GSA club, the school wouldn't let her but they had a bulletin board displaying crosses and promoting a Christian Fellowship. I worked at a school with a thriving GSA club, but when some of my students approached the administration about starting a Christian Club, they said we couldn't even take it to the school board because it would be denied. Fortunately, I had a good rapport with the administrators and they allowed us to meet as an unofficial club.

She also made some comments that surprised me regarding behaviors that students were getting in trouble for that she didn't agree with, including cross dressing and opposing authority. I really don't think cross dressing is okay and of course students should get in trouble for opposing authority! Why should we teach teens that it's okay to disobey teachers and administration?

All this being said (and I do have more to say, but I will spare you), I did agree with her ideas that education should change. Having more creative, less standardized-test-oriented curricula would be a huge advantage for our students and our progress as a country. I am a fairly traditional teacher, but I would have loved more room in my units for exploration and imagination. There's so much pressure to get through 'x' amount of material that it leaves very little room for valuable outside projects and application. I also agree that high school is hard and teachers and parents need to be part of the solution, not the problem. Moms: it is not your job to be the "cool mom" and serve any Hump-day treats. And any teacher who witnesses any sort of bullying should have a zero tolerance policy. My students knew that you don't speak bad about anyone in my class (whether that person be in the room or not, be a student or a teacher, be an enemy or a friend.)

I find it terribly difficult to rate this book: I disagreed with her, agreed with her, found the "characters" intriguing and appreciated her challenges to them, found her quick to generalize and stereotype and slow to appreciate that there is always another example to counter the ones she gave. Despite all of this, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it, especially to teachers and all who work with teens. In fact, I would even recommend it to teens. It sheds some light on those tricky adolescent years and reminds all of us to be just a little more sympathetic. (less)

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Feb 13, 2012 Harold rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: psychology

This was clearly written by someone who wanted to be more popular than she was. I understand the sentiment. Her thesis is accurately encapsulated by the title, and she gives in boring detail the stories of a number of quirky teenagers who may or may not ultimately thrive, but we don't follow them into adulthood (with one exception) so we don't know. She falls prey to stereotypes. In her world being popular is a synonym for not too smart, but bitchy and manipulative. So it is not that suprising t...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Gary Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth is an important book for parents, educators, and any students who feel marginalized in their school or social life. Alexandra Robbins once again has her finger on the pulse of a critical issue faced by countless young people: persecution or ostracism because of being different from those who are considered popular. Robbins takes readers inside the lives and perspectives of “geeks, loners, punks, floaters, dorks, freaks, nerds, gamers, weirdos, emos, indies, scen...more The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth is an important book for parents, educators, and any students who feel marginalized in their school or social life. Alexandra Robbins once again has her finger on the pulse of a critical issue faced by countless young people: persecution or ostracism because of being different from those who are considered popular. Robbins takes readers inside the lives and perspectives of “geeks, loners, punks, floaters, dorks, freaks, nerds, gamers, weirdos, emos, indies, scenes.”

Robbins presents profiles of several individuals from what she calls the cafeteria fringe, those who cannot find their way into the popular crowd or, in some cases, find anyone at all to relate to at their schools. Woven through the profiles are relevant research findings and insights from professionals who provide psychological and sociological background that moves Robbins’s observations about the individuals into more generalized territory.

Robbins finds that the exact characteristics that cause students to be kept out of the popular cliques are the same characteristics that frequently create successful adults: courage, creativity, originality, freethinking, vision, resilience, authenticity, self-awareness, integrity, candor, curiousity, love of learning, and passion. Robbins calls this quirk theory, and provides numerous examples of well-known individuals who were ostracized in adolescence but triumphed as adults.

What I admire most about this book is how Alexandra Robbins takes readers from an understanding of the problems to how schools, parents, and students can take steps to minimize this phenomenon in their own environments. Robbins helps each of the young people who are dealing with some degree of ostracism to arrive at a “challenge,” a specific plan for finding a more satisfying, less threatening social life without compromising the individual traits that each of them takes pride in. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that not all of the challenges are met and fulfilled, but all of the individuals do make important realizations about themselves. Near the end of the book, Robbins offers 31 specific, eye-opening ways that schools, parents, teachers, and students can move to prevent or improve circumstances that lead to bullying, ostracism, and intolerance. For example, Robbins recommends that schools “[m]ake credit requirements equitable: … If participation on a school sports team counts as a gym credit, then participation on an academic team or in a drama production also should fulfill a requirement.”

I was particularly interested in how educators are portrayed in this book. Although some teachers make important contributions to the well-being of the students, most educators, especially administrators, are shown as oblivious, unsympathetic, and in some cases, complicit conspirators in the difficulties based by ostracized students. One thread of the book deals with teacher cliques, how they affect individual teachers who are not part of the “power group,” and the ways that students become embroiled in negative faculty interpersonal situations.

As with her previous book The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids, Alexandra Robbins writes with authority and credibility about what is happening in classrooms, hallways, parties, living rooms, bedrooms, and malls as today’s adolescents deal with unique pressures and problems. If you are interested in today’s high schoolers, both Geeks and Overachievers are must-reads.

Cross-posted on my blog at What's Not Wrong?

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Aug 10, 2012 Susie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, didn-t-finish

I read her book on sororities years ago so I'm interested to see her take on the other end of the popularity spectrum!

Update: So, I didn't finish it. I got over 1/3rd of the way through and it just wasn't doing it for me. It was very heavy on the individual narratives and while I realize the author got very close to her subjects and found them to be fascinating, I didn't need to hear every detail of their existence. I guess I felt like there was too much narrative and not enough analyzation.

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May 12, 2013 Eva rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book offered some interesting insights into the psychology and sociology of modern school clique culture. But what I liked above all was the narratives about the handful of students the author followed, from the girl who was sick of being a mean girl (dress codes, harsh gossip, rules about who to date) to a brilliant, creative gay kid who struggled to find people who would get him. It was so heartwarming to see how genuine they were in their own ways, and so satisfying to watch as they fina...more

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May 01, 2013 Grace Zhang rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read the instruction for all the book in the unit is my traditional, the same as this unit. I surprised finding that there are 4 in 6 of this unit I am interested in. Finally I choose The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins. She reveals that the things that set students apart in high school are the things that help them stand out later in life. Robbins follows seven real people grappling with the uncertainties of high school social life.

It’s an impact book. As a foreign exchange s...more Read the instruction for all the book in the unit is my traditional, the same as this unit. I surprised finding that there are 4 in 6 of this unit I am interested in. Finally I choose The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins. She reveals that the things that set students apart in high school are the things that help them stand out later in life. Robbins follows seven real people grappling with the uncertainties of high school social life.

It’s an impact book. As a foreign exchange student, what I know about American high school is only the school I go to now. After reading the book, I realized what other schools look like might totally out of my image. Seven true stories stand for most of the American school society looks like.

Adults have long tried to convince disbelieving high school outcasts that their fortunes are destined to improve in the not-too-distant future. Alexandra Robbins explains for us why those adults are probably right—and why those same outcasts are likely to surpass their “popular” classmates in terms of real-world success. Robbins’ quirk theory tells us that “Many of the differences that cause a student to be excluded in school are the same traits or real-world skills that others will value, love, respect, or find compelling … outside the school setting.”

About the characters, I feel like I am with them all the time. When they are teased by others, I feel my anger. And I am happy to see they just don’t care about pressure from outside and just be themselves. I am surprised by their talent and respect their attitude of the world. And this book changed my attitude to the world. Actually I have this problem as those outcasts as well. I don’t know how to communicate with the peers, and I sad about this for a long time. I tried to change it for a long time, but that didn’t make me happier. So now I decide not to concern about it because it didn’t worth me to worry about it. Just release myself from the stupid concern and I should be fine. So thanks for the book I solve a problem in myself.

The book writing style is kind of “the experience+ comment from someone (can be teachers, authors, parents)”. The truth how the students feel about all the situations they met is also a very wonderful part. The vocabulary is fine for me now and I feel very good about it. As for the structure, I don’t like it actually. They just repeat the characters again and again, that makes me feel tired about it and lose my patience.

I think teenagers who are also outcasts should read this book; maybe they can find a way out of their problem in their hearts like me. And also, the school stuff and educators should read it to learn more about how the student in the school going on, and try to think about methods to help them maybe. And parents could read it too. To learn more about the students or maybe their own kids the situation they meet in the school. Care about them and help them with that.

I think the themes in this book are worth to deeply think. Being excluded in school doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with you. In fact, it probably means that you’re going to be an exceptional adult. And two, popularity doesn’t make you happy. Popularity is just this empty reputational construct.
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May 01, 2013 Jaylah Howell rated it 3 of 5 stars

For the non-fiction unit I read The Geeks Shall inherit the Earth... obviously. I don't really like non-fiction books at all. They tend to be really boring and I have a hard time getting into it. This book was similar in the way that it was kind of hard to get into and was kind of boring at the beginning. Once I got into it, it was way more interesting than I thought. I liked the characters, how we can relate to the book in certain ways, and how it was true so I found out things about bullying t...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Sean rated it 3 of 5 stars

"The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth" is an account of Alexandra Robbins's research into bullying and exclusion at middle and high schools in the US. She interviewed students, teachers, and parents to determine why bullying and ostracism continue to plague American schools despite considerable efforts to end them. Additionally, Robbins argues from her findings that the very same qualities that separate social outcasts from their peers in high school are the ones that will lead them to be successfu...more "The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth" is an account of Alexandra Robbins's research into bullying and exclusion at middle and high schools in the US. She interviewed students, teachers, and parents to determine why bullying and ostracism continue to plague American schools despite considerable efforts to end them. Additionally, Robbins argues from her findings that the very same qualities that separate social outcasts from their peers in high school are the ones that will lead them to be successful in adult life - hence the book's title. Robbins calls this "quirk theory".

Robbins follows a group of carefully selected individuals through their school years. The subjects were chosen because they experienced moderate to severe bullying from their peers, and displayed a range of backgrounds, character traits and interests: tech geeks, racial minorities, band nerds, immigrants, homosexuals. Two subjects were chosen to show how that bullying is more pervasive in school environments than one assumes: one is a teacher and another a "popular girl".

Robbins interviewed these individuals extensively and halfway through the book, gave each a challenge to complete some task that would help them gain self-confidence or a valuable life experience. These challenges helped to bring these subjects out of their shells and give them a tangible sense of accomplishment. It becomes obvious early on that Robbins has considerable sympathy for these outcasts and is determined to see them succeed.

I was bullied through middle and high school and so had a great deal of sympathy for the individuals bullied in these pages. Reading accounts of the casual cruelty and power games played by their peers made me wince, remembering my own experiences. I was glad to see that each of them, by the book's end, had found some sort of self-accomplishment and peace.

I do think Robbins analyzes her subject in a vacuum. Two common threads I noticed that Robbins did not fully tease out from the subjects' life histories are 1) nearly all of the bullied individuals come from broken homes, or have unemotional or distant (and in one case downright abusive) relationships with their parents, and 2) how successful do geeks in general really become?

Parents first. I do wish Robbins had come flat out and said what seemed to dance around some of her writing: disruptions to the parent-child relationship can have a crippling effect on the child's ego and sense of self-worth. Very few of the individuals described in the book have healthy relationships with their parents and that seems to have affected their ability to handle rejection from their peers. Everybody has to learn about human nature the hard way, of course. We are all going to be lied to, cheated, stolen from, ostracized. But a thirteen year old whose parents obviously love him and in whom make a great deal of emotional investments is far better equipped to handle their peers than one who is not.

I know of what I speak. I was raised by intelligent people who truly believed their mission as parents was to make their children self-sufficient, happy, successful adults. My interests were encouraged and my sense of self-worth was never cast into doubt at home. Although I went through some tough times at school, I never doubted that I was loved and that made a great difference in my life. Furthermore, my father, a human resources professional by trade, spent a great deal of his time and energy teaching me how to read other people, anticipate social situations, and use my talents to make something of myself. To be fair to Robbins, her "what is to be done?" checklist at the book's end does include appeals to parents to undertake this type of work with their children.

The second point is that Robbins seems to be a little too optimistic that the qualities which cause ostracism in high school will lead their bearers to success as adults. She cites examples like Lady Gaga, Steve Jobs, and Albert Einstein as examples of "geeks" who followed their unusual interests in spite of ostracism to become highly successful. Leaving Einstein to the side - he was a genius on such a world-changing level that it is foolish to compare him with your average high school nerd - both Lady Gaga and Steve Jobs also happened to have interests for which the marketplace would pay them lots of money and grant them lots of social prestige (Lady Gaga was also bankrolled by her wealthy parents, but enough about that). Such a simplistic argument ignores the many, many individuals who pursued their dreams but failed to do anything with them because of lack of effort, lack of interest by the wider world, or simple bad luck.

I don't want to sound too cynical. But, like most people, I had to carefully review my prospects and strike a balance between my interests and what I could reasonably make of myself in the wider world. I thought I was going to be a history professor; I work nowadays as a risk management professional at a large financial institution. It is not what I expected to be doing with my life, but the work is very intellectually stimulating, and it is well paid, to the point where I can indulge my interests in my spare time. So I am satisfied.

As well, I can warn younger nerds not to treat their ostracized status as a excuse not to practice self-improvement or reach out to others. I would not have the job I have now if I did not overcome my fears of networking, promoting myself, and learning how to handle social situations. You will get nowhere in life if you expect other people to recognize you and give you what you need to be fulfilled without effort on your part. You have to learn how to negotiate, out-think, and out-work your opponents, and most critically learn how to charm and inspire them to follow you. And whether you like it or not, you will always have to deal with social politics, cliques, hierarchies, and ostracism. That is human nature. However, it is never as bad as it is in middle and high school.

Overall, a good read with much food for thought, but the theory was rather simplistic.

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Feb 18, 2013 M. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent nonfiction about the hierarchies in high schools with individual narratives of several teens in the "cafeteria fringe," those kids who are so frequently discounted by both the most popular groups and, unfortunately, by school administrations and teachers. High school social orders increasingly value conformity over out-of-the-box thinking and problem solving. Kids on the fringes--geeks, nerds, skaters, new kids, gamers, emos, etc.--are frequently bullied and lonely, but their quirks, c...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Dmitry rated it 1 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I enjoyed The Overachievers that much. The Geeks turned out to be a disappointment. While the individual character plots still read great, the analytical portion of the book is a whole different story. It is almost like it was written by another person - the writing is unstructured, hard to follow, lacking substance and factual content, while the topics do not seem well-researched (or even well-defined, for that matter). It feels like the author just slapped it toge...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Jen Meegan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have two young children who are nowhere near high school age. But considering both their parents were "kids on the fringe", there is a pretty strong chance neither of them will become part of the mainstream crowd when they hit their teens. And we're ok with that because, as this book so eloquently points out, the less popular kids are typically the ones who have the most success as adults. This is a truism I've seen over and over again in my own life and with my adult peers. Think about it...h...more I have two young children who are nowhere near high school age. But considering both their parents were "kids on the fringe", there is a pretty strong chance neither of them will become part of the mainstream crowd when they hit their teens. And we're ok with that because, as this book so eloquently points out, the less popular kids are typically the ones who have the most success as adults. This is a truism I've seen over and over again in my own life and with my adult peers. Think about it...how many of the popular kids at your high school ended up leading fascinating and fulfilling lives? Perhaps a few...but, if your experience is anything like my own, not many. Why is this? As "The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth" points out, the traits that make a kid stand out from the crowd during high school are precisely what allows them to thrive when they hit the college years and beyond.

This book reads, in parts, like a YA novel -- which will make it appealing to teens as well as their parents. But there's just enough legitimate psychological studies and jargon to keep the grown-ups happy. It also has some surprises, one in particular which should be very interesting for any educators who are reading this book (I'm not going to spoil it for you!). What I particularly loved is how Robbins provides some concrete steps we can all take to help "fringe" kids navigate the high school experience without losing their souls or motivation. I also really enjoyed getting to know each "case study" and was excited to find I can track their continued development via the book's Facebook page. One of the bigger surprises for me is that private schools (single sex or otherwise) with a uniform policy have no less chance of growing cliques and bullies than public schools. Yeah, I know this stuff goes on any place where teens gather in mass quantities...but I'd assumed some private schools, especially those with smaller class sizes, would have better luck working with kids and breaking down the social BS than their public counterparts. Apparently not.

If you know (or are) a kid who doesn't easily fit in with the popular crowd (or any crowd, for that matter)...PLEASE read this book. It's highly likely you will find yourself in these pages...and even if you don't, you'll find yourself rooting for each of these young men and women to make it through high school and transform into the fabulous adults I know they will be.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Cassie-la rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/05/27/d......

Did you know that all the weird little quirks that kept you friendless in high school could later go on to help you out there in the real world? Well according to Alexandra Robbins in her hope inducing work The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, that is absolutely true. ::crosses fingers::

This book follows Danielle the Loner, Blue the Gamer, Whitney the Popular Bitch, Regan the Weird Girl, Eli the Nerd, Joy the New Girl, and Noah the Band Ge...more REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/05/27/d......

Did you know that all the weird little quirks that kept you friendless in high school could later go on to help you out there in the real world? Well according to Alexandra Robbins in her hope inducing work The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, that is absolutely true. ::crosses fingers::

This book follows Danielle the Loner, Blue the Gamer, Whitney the Popular Bitch, Regan the Weird Girl, Eli the Nerd, Joy the New Girl, and Noah the Band Geek, and gives us peaks into their lives, from the lowest lows to the highest of highs. Like her other nonfiction works, this reads as part fiction and part nonfiction, with research to back up and expound upon the students Robbins’ writes about. Overall, it is very much like her novel Pledged except she took a greater part in entering the lives of her subjects. And it doesn’t talk about being blond and perky and perpetually vomiting up one’s meals.

The main thrust of the novel is Robbins’ invention of “quirk theory”. Simply put, quirk theory states that the things that make people different and “strange” in high school are what they will later learn to use to their advantage in outside life. In fact, these things will even come to be respected and revered. As a former high school outcast, I myself keep waiting for this very same thing to happen. Come on quirk theory, work your magic! To back up her theory, Robbins references known outcast success stories like J.K. Rowling, Tim Gunn, Lady Gaga, and Steven Spielberg (who was made fun of for being both a nerd and a jew- although not necessarily a Superjew. Regardless, he brings the Jew fire!).

The problem is that not everyone can accomplish this quirkiness, because in order to do so one has to be entirely committed to being their own person, and has to put other people’s perceptions out of their minds. Such nonconformity is often fought against. Robbins places a lot of the blame on society and schools themselves, which preach conformity over originality (or what RuPaul would call C.U.N.T.- cunning, uniqueness, nerve, and talent). Schools teach kids to want to conform, despite the fact that nonconformity is better in adult life. They teach that “normal” is better, and in turn kids strive to be more like their peers. Normal and boring. Yay America.

Throughout the novel there are also constant references to what Robbins refers to as the “cafeteria fringe”. These are the people excluded from school and society’s in-crowd. Basically, those without a lunch table to call their own. In high school we had something called unit lunch, which was a 52 minute block of time in which the entire school had lunch simultaneously. The Bibliomantics and I had a safe haven from being dubbed cafeteria fringe, a section of hallway we named Canada, although once a week we would abandon Canada and go to a classroom to play Lord of the Rings trivial pursuit with one of our teachers (who coincidentally wished he were Gandalf). Yeah, we were pretty damn cool.

The portion of the novel which resonated most with me was a discussion of seventh grade as being the meanest year of schooling. I could not agree more. In seventh grade I was kicked out of my lunch table because another girl thought I was too weird and strange to be friends with “the group” anymore. She also took my seat in homeroom and I had to sit next to the smelly girl (I kind of have this curse where I get stuck in enclosed places with smelly people- including a nine hour plane ride home from Vienna). I was teased for being flat chested, which karma took care of because that girl didn’t develop past seventh grade. I even won second place (AKA the silver medal) in an academic Olympics we had in middle school, and when I got back to our classroom no one said congratulations, not even the teacher. It wasn’t until they heard the hubbub that the gold medal winner’s classroom made when he entered that they cared. So they cheered louder than the other classroom, but only so they could win in terms of fake enthusiasm. Good for you Cassie, we only care about you to show up other people who actual care about their classmate. End sarcasm.

As far as “characters” (can you call them that in nonfiction?) go I feel the strongest connection to Regan the Weird Girl. We are told that Regan gets “literary chills”, “adored English classes” and was “obsessed with dinosaurs”. She also “watched the three original Star Wars movies and turned everything Luke said to Yoda into innuendo”. This in itself is very representative of myself and my fellow Bibliomantic Kelly. In fact, I’m pretty sure we did this our freshman year, except it features sodomy in relation to almost every character, with an especial fondness toward Jabba the Hutt.

Overall, it is the things that label the characters as being weird that resonate with me the most. For example, people thought Eli was weird for liking Grace Kelly and Alfred Hitchcock. Annmarie (a character mentioned in only one chapter) was “ridiculed… [for] her atheism, and her love of literature”, she was also “obsessed with zombies”. I have no problem with any of these so called “weird” traits. In fact, I think it’s these traits that make these people interesting, and would probably make me want to be their friends.

I enjoy hearing fun/quirky facts about people. It definitely explains my love of Amelie and most Chuck Palahnuik novels (with the exception of his nonfiction work and Haunted). There is also a girl named Laney (again mentioned in passing) who once licked a cat just to see how it would taste. “It tastes like cat!” she is quoted as saying. She also “talks to her hamsters in funny accents”, “reads the dictionary”, and “drinks her milk with food coloring”. Sorry, but I would take Laney over a “normal” person any day. If liking zombies and Hitchcock is what makes people in our society weird, than you can call me the Queen of Weird. And you are most certainly not invited to my Tim Burton themed 25th birthday party.

My one problem with the book is the extreme focus on high school. I wish The Geeks Shall Inherit got into more how we as readers can use quirk theory to better our non-school focused existence. As a recent college graduate, I need to find a way to take what makes me different and turn it into something marketable to an employer, a fact which has become even harder in this poor job market. Had Robbins touched on this a little, even in an epilogue, and Geeks would have certainly been a five star novel.(less)

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Mar 12, 2012 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: other-non-fiction

In northern climes they are wont, I am told, to leap from sauna to snow and back again. That is exactly what reading this book felt like. On the one hand you have a gossipy wee page turner as Robbins follows a handful of interesting outsiders through their highschool experiences. But then, interleaved with this "oh my god, they didn't? But he's so NICE!" stuff, there's the snow of sociological dissection of high school cliques. It's jarring, even though (if one were ready for it and perhaps if t...more In northern climes they are wont, I am told, to leap from sauna to snow and back again. That is exactly what reading this book felt like. On the one hand you have a gossipy wee page turner as Robbins follows a handful of interesting outsiders through their highschool experiences. But then, interleaved with this "oh my god, they didn't? But he's so NICE!" stuff, there's the snow of sociological dissection of high school cliques. It's jarring, even though (if one were ready for it and perhaps if the book had been better written for it) the material could be interesting and engaging.

Much of the horrors she describes, while entrancingly appalling, are not present in my kids' school to quite the extent she describes. I did take some things away, though: groups are an easy identity, maintaining membership often involves excluding others, the preppy popular kids are the bitchiest. The author's point, that the things which make you an outsider in highschool are what can make you very successful afterwards, is something I buy into. But the best part was the description of a 1950s experiment: two groups of kids go on summer camp at opposite ends of an island; for two weeks they don't know each other exist; once they are told of the others then, by itself, exclusionary, tribal, hate behaviour starts and grows over two weeks; interventions from the camp staff to have them solving problems and working together almost immediately overcame that entrenched behaviour; by the end they were buying each other goodies.

The interesting part of the Tale of Woes that is following these students is that Robbins gives the students a "challenge". Her challenge is different for each student but they're all around reaching out to other groups. She models her interventions on the collaboration-not-competition exercises of the counsellors, and (to hear her tell it) they work. For all the hot-and-cold fiction-and-fact alternation of the book, it was a captivating read and I learned something. So I guess the snow didn't ruin the sauna for me. It might even have helped. Perhaps those Northern chappies are on to something ...(less)

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Jan 17, 2012 Joelle Anthony rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an amazing look at high schools across America, in particularly the fringe students. I really enjoyed the whole thing. On one hand, the things it taught me and the insight it gave me earns it about ten stars, but a couple of things made me dock it one star and give it four.

A few times, one in particular, the author withholds information in order to make a point or a dramatic statement. This made me not trust her. I can see what she was doing, but it made me uncomfortable to be manipulate...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Jennifer Burke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: education, sociology-ish

Fascinating book from Ms Robbins, who is making a name for herself in the sociology of young adults, education and being a nonconformist. Great stories, engaging characters, & anecdotes plus sound research and reporting make this a must-read. Compelling work on why those who feel like no one understands them, that they will never 'fit in' or be 'normal', are often the ones who grow up to be the most interesting people. (and really, what is "normal" anyway, other than a setting on the washer?...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Chloe rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who want to read about school popularity/cliques and don't mind a fair bit of sensationalizm

Shelves: 2012

I've read The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids, also by Robbins, and enjoyed her style of writing as it merges the non-fiction style of writing with more vivid, almost fictional in style, recounts of the lives of overachievers, so I decided to pick this book when I saw it. I certainly wasn't let down as she continues to utilize a fly-on-the-wall, sensationlized (because I really have little doubt that it has been to make things more interesting) style of writing, mixed with her own...more I've read The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids, also by Robbins, and enjoyed her style of writing as it merges the non-fiction style of writing with more vivid, almost fictional in style, recounts of the lives of overachievers, so I decided to pick this book when I saw it. I certainly wasn't let down as she continues to utilize a fly-on-the-wall, sensationlized (because I really have little doubt that it has been to make things more interesting) style of writing, mixed with her own commentary.

I was disappointed when I realized the book's title was somewhat deceptive. I was expecting this to at least be a long term study of the "characters" but instead it's another book about the ideas of schoolyard cliques and popularity. If I had known that this was the focus of the book, I probably wouldn't have picked it up since this is a fairly tired old premise and, let's admit, I've gone through high school once, I know how this sort of thing works. Nevertheless I continued reading it anyway since ~~I've got too much time on my hands~~ I wanted to see if it could put an old dog in a new party hat. To some degree, it does.

At first we passively follow the triumphs and (far more predominantly)the failures of this group of students (view spoiler) in social interactions. It's somewhat interesting stuff but a lot of it feels like it's been ripped out of every stereotypical portrayal on young people. For someone whose telling people to cast aside stereotypes, she really seems a bit hypocritical in the way she portrays her characters. However, halfway through the year, Robbins issues a challenge to each character which is essentially designed to get them to act more 'normal' in a social sense.

This change makes things both more and less interesting as you start to wonder whether the characters are able to pull off their challenge but, at the same time, start to get a little bored as the sensationalizm is ramped up and every character manages to magically build up relationships with others without hardly any conflicts along the way, even in situations where they'd previously bullied people (Whitney) or were the victim (Joy). Gosh, if only my high school life had come to be that easy!

Besides that, there's some interesting information on the psychology behind popularity/cliques but this is definitely a book more focused on the going-ons of the teenagers than the science behind it all.

I guess the thing that really keeps dragging me back to Alexandra Robbins' writing is that she takes this approach that's comparable to a reality TV show or a gossip rag, which leads to this 'dirty pleasure' reading. It's not necessarily a bad thing, - surely I'm not the only one that likes to dip into fluffy, beachside reading sometimes? - it just makes it difficult to take Robbins completely seriously as a non-fiction author.(less)

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Dec 25, 2011 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The philosophy behind this book is nothing you haven't thought of yourself, or told the kids you care about as they struggle through High School: the people who are on top now will not always be on top.

It's not a scientific study. It is an anthropological approach of the "it gets better" variety where Robbins spends a year with some "cafeteria fringe," as she calls them, and tries to identify what makes them outsiders, and what makes them great. Turns out it is usually the same thing.

The narrat...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Desiree rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stumbled upon this book at the library and it was a surprisingly fun read. I enjoyed many of the points in the book. As someone who wasn't in the "popular crowd" in school, I can relate to many of the students she follows in her book. I wasn't as much of a social outcast as some of the students, but I could relate to many of their situations. I think this is an excellent book for anyone who works with teens to read and understand. The very end of the book has suggestions for trying to overcome...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Cameron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, overcoming-hardship

I was expecting more of a focus on the adult lives of formerly bullied teens, but this book follows the travails of teens currently dealing with cliques and ostracism at school. Some of their stories are interesting, but ultimately the title is deceiving--we don't know whether or not these particular students "thrive" later in life because we don't see them into adulthood. I think the book's premise might have been more convincing had it been based on a long-term study. All we really see here ar...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Delani rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

There was no way I could pass up Alexandra Robbins’ newest book, The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School. As a former weirdo/nerd/loner who indeed “thrive(d) after high school,” the title alone was an ego stroke.

We’re living in strange times (to quote an old Chinese curse). It has become a badge of honor to admit that you were a nerd in high school. Some of the most powerful people in society were nerds (Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc....more

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Aug 07, 2011 Alex Templeton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I initially resisted picking up this book; I felt like it was going to be a simple retread of some arguments I'd read before. In many ways, it was, but it was an enjoyable read and one that I found valuable for a couple of reasons. One, I appreciated that it included Whitney, the "Popular Bitch", to explore the motivations behind being a mean girl, and the costs associated with the lack of popularity. Second, I found the book comforting. Although my small private school didn't have the rigid soc...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: education

A year in the life of 6 high school kids and one adult who have trouble “fitting in.” Robbins assigns various categories along the lines of school stereotypes (e.g., “new girl,” “gamer,” “band geek”) and devotes the first half of the book to interviews and recaps of their isolation from their peers. This part was often really sad to read, particularly those cases with unsupportive parents. After about six months she assigns each a challenge, and then follows the process and outcome. It was easy...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Andrea Borod rated it 2 of 5 stars

As a high school teacher, I was excited to read this book after reading an eloquent interview with Alexandra Robbins in Salon.com. The problem with the book lies not with Robbins' sharp and accessible social analysis (this is her strength and, why she strays from it to include unbelievable dialogue, remains a mystery), but with the central characters: while trying to promote an understanding of the Cafeteria Fringe, Robbins follows a bunch of teenagers who speak as though their dialogue were wri...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Deborah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reading Alexandra Robbins' non-fiction is kind of like eating candy that you later find out is good for you. Her writing is story-like so that you're absorbed by every real life person she writes about as if it were a great novel, and later you realize that you have learned from the book without realizing it.
With that in mind, I was glued to the book, and eager to find out how the characters would be doing by the end of the book (particularly Blue and Whitney, although all were appealing).
The O...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book begins by introducing the reader to Danielle, a shy junior who feels uncomfortable during lunch. She has nobody to sit with. There is also a history of bullying in Danielle's past. The author then introduces the reader to a total of 7 "cafeteria fringe" and follow them throughout the year. These are the quirky people who are artistic, emotional, gay, shy, or geeky. Gathering data from sociological studies, the author ascertains that the skills used for popularity in high school are not...more The book begins by introducing the reader to Danielle, a shy junior who feels uncomfortable during lunch. She has nobody to sit with. There is also a history of bullying in Danielle's past. The author then introduces the reader to a total of 7 "cafeteria fringe" and follow them throughout the year. These are the quirky people who are artistic, emotional, gay, shy, or geeky. Gathering data from sociological studies, the author ascertains that the skills used for popularity in high school are not the skills used in work and life. The quirky are the Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Adam Sandler, etc.

The most intriguing cafeteria fringe was Regan. I did not expect the surprise factor there yet when it was revealed and then discussed at greater length, I found myself definitely relating. (view spoiler)

The crux of the book is the Quirk Theory. Behaviors that are aggressive and dominating in high school will often net a more popular person. This is not to be confused with "liked." However, the same skill set is not useful outside of the high school setting. Conformity and sheep like behavior is uniquely acceptable in a factory model school. Creativity, new ideas and approaches to problems will be rewarded in a workplace setting. Those who skirt the cafeteria very well may have the advantage after high school.

The author provided anecdotal stories about the 7 individuals throughout the year and surrounded them with research by social psychologists from years past then offered interpretations to frame her thesis. She also suggested a different challenge for each of the 7 individuals that supported their individuality and strengths but also connected them with others with similarities. Six out of seven found moderate success. The exception was Regan. The cliques were too strong and the social group too small.

Very enjoyable read for anybody interested in high school social dynamics or anybody scarred by their past high school social dynamics. Also would be an excellent resource for any public educator. I would go so far as to suggest that this book would be excellent reading material for professional development - especially if material is read by all faculty members and discussed throughout the school year. (less)

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May 02, 2013 Mason Spaulding rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book because it's about bullying. In my view it's about bullying because the majority of the characters in the book are outcasts and are constantly being picked on because of their peronality traits.

Danielle is known as The Loner. She used to have friends in middle school, but during the summer transition to high school, all of her friends abandoned her. Other kids started a note fight with Danielle in 7th grade, her supposedly best friend Tabitha left her for the cool kids, and Da...more I liked this book because it's about bullying. In my view it's about bullying because the majority of the characters in the book are outcasts and are constantly being picked on because of their peronality traits.

Danielle is known as The Loner. She used to have friends in middle school, but during the summer transition to high school, all of her friends abandoned her. Other kids started a note fight with Danielle in 7th grade, her supposedly best friend Tabitha left her for the cool kids, and Danielle unknowingly joined her own hate club. During lunch time in high school, Danielle avoided the cafeteria altogether because she couldn't sit with anyone. I think she intentionally wants to be a loner. I have no problem with it, I'm just the observer.

Blue is known as The Gamer. He lives in Hawaii. According to him, he has the intellect to make it into M.I.T. Lately, he has devoted all his energy into creating a gamer's club at his school, and didn't concentrate on his grades. Ever since his advisor has destroyed his club's reputation, and since this guy Herman is now President of the club, Blue's GPA is now a 2.4, while everyone else in his AP history class has a 4.3 average. Now I think it's definitely too late for Blue to raise his grades. There's a good chance he'll flunk high school.

Noah is known as The Band Geek. People make fun of him because of how long he keeps his hair. The thing that I admire about Noah is that despite everyone's insults, he keeps his head up high. I think the things he's most proud of is joining the Honor Guard in the marching band, and running for class president; even though he lost like three or four times. The one aspect that's most striking about Noah is that he has a girlfriend. I feel really bad for him after she broke up with him.

Regan is known as The Weird Girl. She's targeted mostly because of her homosexuality. She's a black girl from Vermont who has just moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I admire her because she's proud of who she is, and doesn't care what other people think of her. She is also in the school drama club, or what Regan calls her "sanctuary". According to Regan, it's a place where she can truly be herself and be praised for it. I personally think Regan's a truly sweet girl.

Whitney is known as The Popular Bitch. She's one of those girls you'd probably see in a movie or tv show. She's part of the popular kids who dress nice, who can get away with pretty much anything, and of course party a lot. But the strange thing is that Whitney is not who she says she is. In 6th grade, even though she was known as the queen bee, she only joined the preps because she didn't wanna be left alone in the dust. There's another group of kids at her school called the punks. Whitney's in love with one of the punks named Luke. Whitney's friends of course don't like anyone outside of their clique, and are threatening to cut her off. Right now Whitney is caught between a rock and a crazy place.

The setting is pretty much in high school, but in different parts of the country.

I believe teens and young adults would like this book.

The themes in this book are what everyone goes through in high school; trying to fit in to somewhere. Some people are proud of who and what they are, some don't realize that they're the source of their problems, and others are ashamed of who they are. (less)

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About Alexandra Robbins

*News! GEEKS has been voted The BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2011!*

In the style of Pledged and The Overachievers: THE GEEKS SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH: POPULARITY, QUIRK THEORY, AND WHY OUTSIDERS THRIVE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. See alexandrarobbins.com/geeks for details.

New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Robbins is an investigative journalist who has written for a variety of publications, including Th...more

More about Alexandra Robbins...

Books by Alexandra Robbins

The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids

Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties

Secrets of the Tomb: Skull And Bones, The Ivy League, And the Hidden Paths Of Power

Conquering Your Quarterlife Crisis: Advice from Twentysomethings Who Have Been There and Survived

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“Polarization is just one of many ways group membership can change an individual. Perhaps the most striking effect of group membership is that it can modify individuals’ perceptions of themselves. Unable to separate their personal introspection from the ways they believe other people perceive them, teenagers may have what psychologists call an “imaginary audience,” meaning they believe that other people are just as attuned to their appearance and behavior as they are (cue any pimple cream commercial). These perceptions can affect various aspects of their lives. For example, psychologists found that when Asian girls were subtly reminded about their Asian identity, they performed better on math tests. When they were subtly reminded about their gender, however, they performed worse.” — 3 people liked it

“Unruly geeks change the world” — 1 person liked it

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