On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… lovable underdogs?

For a long time, we’ve been sold — and we’ve bought — the idea of the nerd hero; usually a man, usually brilliant, and usually a social outcast who, inevitably, gets the girl. That was the happy ending.

But now, we’re surrounded by powerful, self-styled nerds who have it all and still want more. And, to some, it’s increasingly hard to root for these guys.

Ian Bogost, a writer and video game designer, joins us. 

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie

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