DFTBA.

To the average citizen, this abbreviation looks like it could stand for a government organization or an obscene phrase. But to Nerdfighters, a growing minority, DFTBA means one thing: Don’t Forget To Be Awesome.

What is a Nerdfighter, you ask? A Nerdfighter is a nerd who fights, a nerd who looks average on the outside but inside is made up completely of awesome, instead of bones and organs and stuff. Originally, the term referred to fans of acclaimed young adult novelist John Green (Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns) and his brother Hank Green, who began a video blogging, or "vlogging," project two years ago.

Since then, its definition has been expanded to include anyone and everyone. If you’re interested in becoming a Nerdfighter, you probably already are one. And, if you already are one, you are in noble company. Famous Nerdfighters include Isaac Newton, Nelson Mandela and all four Beatles.

What does a Nerdfighter do? First and foremost, a Nerdfighter is committed to the fight to decrease world suck. World suck comes in many forms, from the plight of the refugees in Darfur to the censorship of classic novels in public schools.

As a Nerdfighter, you can do many things to decrease world suck. Many choose to subscribe to John and Hank’s YouTube channel (username: vlogbrothers) and watch their ongoing daily vlogs. These vlogs mix information with fun. You can check out John discussing the Georgia conflict with peanut butter on his face, or you can listen to Hank figuring out which presidential candidate to vote for based on how their names anagram. Incidentally, Barack Hussein Obama anagrams to "Bush Mania…Cobra…Sake!" That alone is reason for election.

Nerdfighters also engage in various secret projects, projects on which I cannot elaborate because they are, in fact, secret. However, I can say that many of the projects involve giving money to the Fund to Decrease World Suck, a bank account set up by the Brothers Green. The funds raised are donated to a variety of charities, which the Nerdfighters get to select.

But being a Nerdfighter isn’t just about fundraising. It’s also about stimulating your own intellect. The Greens head a variety of book clubs, including a blurbing book club, for which Nerdfighters read the books of the month in order to come up with lolcat summaries. Hamlet’s lolcat blurb is "I’m in ur Denmarkz feelin ur Opheliaz, failin to make decisionz."

If you’re interested in the world of Nerdfighters, visit the Green brothers’ channel or the Nerdfighter website at http://nerdfighters.ning.com. We are fighting nerds. We’re no longer just using our words.