Nothing says geek scenester like a Nerd Merit Badge

The problem with being a grown-up is that there aren’t enough opportunities for people to validate you and your choices. No one ever gives you a certificate for getting up in time to get the early train, for making sure your drunken friend got home OK or for not stamping on the foot of the person trying to push in front of you in the queue. Until now.

It’s difficult to believe Nerd Merit Badges haven’t existed before. Collecting and validating and joining an exclusive club? The Venn diagram for geeks and badge lovers makes it a no-brainer. They’re going to be released over time, with the first fully embroidered velcro-backed badge being awarded for making a commitment to any open source project. You can register to be alerted when the next is released, with each costing $3.99. It’s kind of difficult to predict what future badges will be from the picture, but if you’ve got any idea, let us know in comments.

Get yours here.