Been Rickroll’d? Pirated a movie? Get your Internet Merit Badge.
Oh the times they are a-changin’. There was a point when a good Merit Badge was a hard thing to come by. You had to help little old ladies cross the streets, build fire out of rocks and wet grass or maybe you had to cook your own hotdog. Whatever the task, it was arguably more admirable than falling victim to an Internet meme or connecting via dial-up.
But, as times have changed, so too has the recognition for our feats. Internet Merit Badges is a site that lets you “reward your inner geek” by purchasing real, embroidered merit badges for the things that have happened in your online life.
While the selection isn’t huge, just yet, it seems to be growing. Creator Alex Brown is dedicated to his geek status, and that seems to be a driving force in making sure that you can get the badges that you want. For now, you have a choice of 5:
Banhammer’d – Banned from an online forum
Rickroll’d – Victim of a Rickrolling
Dial-Up Veteran – Connected to the Internet via a standard POTS modem
Pirate – “Borrowed” software or media online
Goatse’d – Yeah…we’re not even going there.
You can choose to buy your badges individually, or a pack of all 5 for a slight discount. While you might not want to sew on the Goatse badge to your hoodie, the rest are pretty impressive. Drop by the site and give them a look.