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Shah, Devan
Mr. Reardon
AP Language, Period 1
16 December 18
Fridman Rhetorical Analysis Essay
In a nation which lionizes athletes like Steph Curry, celebrities like Kim Kardashian, and
artists like Taylor Swift, the true backbone for progress and prosperity, author Leonard Fridman
argues, is the “nerds”. In the New York Times opinion piece article titled “America Needs Its
Nerds”, Fridman criticizes American society’s values and its lack of respect towards the
“intellectually curious.” The author also addresses intellectuals, and encourages them to, “stop
being ashamed of who they are” (29-30). Finally, ​Fridman reasons why ​nerds hold tremendous
value to the nation. He conveys his messages through the use of a powerful definition and
excellent word choice.
Fridman begins his essay with a definition to demonstrate a prime example of society’s
disrespect towards the “academically serious”. He references the dictionary definition of geek,
which is “a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens” (5).
Fridman intends to surprise his reader, who most likely has not heard of this definition before.
The reader then clearly understands that such a horrific description should not be attributed to
those who simply strive for academic excellence. The logic in Fridman's argument is evident,
and he makes the audience question why “someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is
compared to a freak” (9-10). Overall, the definition serves as a strong, opening example of
anti-intellectual culture, and it proves the illogical and unfair treatment towards intellectuals.
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Throughout the essay, Fridman crafts his rhetoric with superb diction. Fridman uses
strong vocabulary not only for description, but also to emotionally appeal to the audience. For
instance, when inspiring the ostracized academics, he writes, “It is high time to face the
persecutors who haunt the bright kid with thick glasses from kindergarten to the grave” (30-32).
By using the word “persecutors”, Fridman subtly directs the audience to associate well known
persecutors, like the KKK and Nazis, with the anti-intellectual bullies. The audience now views
the school bully trope not as common or normal, but as an ever-present evil that needs to be
stopped. Furthermore, words like “haunt” and “grave” paint an image of depressed and suicidal
students. This piece is particularly emotive for it garners tremendous sympathy from the
audience, whom would never want such a tragic event to occur. Moreover, Fridman connects
with his audience by using words “we” and “our”. With the repetition of these words, Fridman
makes the reader feel like they are responsible for the issue at hand. Consequently, the reader is
more motivated to resolve the problem and take a stand.
As the passage comes to a close, Fridman ends with a startling question: “How long can
America remain a world-class power if we constantly emphasize social skills and physical
prowess over academic achievement and intellectual ability? (53-56). Here, Fridman freightens
the audience with the idea of their beloved country losing its power and influence. The
patriotism of the audience is attacked, which makes each reader feel even more closely related to
the problem. He warns them that either their own or society’s constant bashing of “nerds” and
“geeks” could ultimately lead to an imperfect nation, one which is not the standard of excellence
anymore. No reader, whether it be the nerd or the anti-intellectual bully, would wish of this
occurrence, and thus the whole audience is engaged in the problem, prompting them to take a
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stand and end the problem. Fridman’s strategic connection to a universal feeling of the audience
serves as an impactful conclusion to his essay. Coupled with the definition of geeks and strong
diction, Fridman convincingly shows why anti-intellectual culture must end.
Word Count: 591