what if Max’s bullying is just, letting the nerds be weirder?
It does sounds like an odd thought but makes sense the more I think about it. (My thoughts under the cut cause it’s sort of long)
It’s like a strange cause and effect. Max already sees them as outcasts, that’s pretty obvious, which in turn influences others to also see them as outcasts a lot quicker than if they actually interacted with the nerds. Now that many people see them as weirdos, a lot of the expectations that are usually used for “normal” people aren’t exactly pushed onto them (for a real life example: I have seen firsthand many people in the school I attend laugh at and brush off “weird” behaviors from the “weird kids” that would get a much bigger reaction if the “normal kids” did it.).
With those taken away, what have they exactly got to lose? The respect of a few people that weren’t going to try being their friend or even friendly to them? They’re already being treated like they don’t belong. Might as well be weird if people are already going to be weirded out by you
The only thing they truly have to fear in that school is Max, and he can’t be everywhere all the time. Take Richie, he was definitely his most “normal” when he had his first interaction with Max, but after that? It was anime references (even if it was just a anime pose) and overly expressive faces galore.
After Max was gone they were still “weird”. Not because they were seen as “weird people” by the students, but because the students seemed to accept the way they acted and went with it (at least from the few “normal” student and nerd interactions that we get).
(It can also be said that Max’s bullying actually brought them closer to people that would better tolerate their true selves due to safety in numbers and a shared bullying experience)
