The problem with emphasizing the misogyny of the idiot nerd girl meme is that it relies on a nasty stereotype of true nerds. Misogyny is a problem-- but in "reality", and not just in fantasy WoW circles, or whatever you use to define a nerd. Nerds I've met are a diverse group and don't deserve to be slandered like Edidin does. (reading "a culture that regularly responds to criticism from women with flurries of rape threats"-- I don't know ANY nerds who do this. Maybe she means "Nerds from a Particular Suburb of Phoenix on February 13, 1987" or something, i don't know)
The sketch reveals the tragedy of the true nerd-- and tragedy is humor, which Richard Pryor (among others) taught us so well. Outside of the bubble of the Atlantic Wire-- which purportedly is telling us "what matters now" by publishing Edidin's accusatory nerd stereotypes-- is it misogynist? No, but it's painfully funny.
The sketch reveals the tragedy of the true nerd-- and tragedy is humor, which Richard Pryor (among others) taught us so well. Outside of the bubble of the Atlantic Wire-- which purportedly is telling us "what matters now" by publishing Edidin's accusatory nerd stereotypes-- is it misogynist? No, but it's painfully funny.