Geek culture ascending

It’s no secret that the popularity of what some consider to be “geek culture” is on the rise. Comic books, video games, cosplay, computers and a host of other activities that used to get you picked on in the school yard have risen to become the norm these days.  More so, they’ve gained a level of prestige that I personally, being the one who used to hide his love of comic books and role-playing games, have found astounding.  The reasons behind why this has occurred are many and varied and although there are probably plenty currently working on their Doctoral papers trying to explain why this is happening, the amount of actual research is limited.  All we have to go on is opinion and observance as we watch this social change take root.

So what the heck happened?  Was there some sort of geek revolution?  Did I miss out on the great march that gained geeks and nerds a new place of power in worldwide culture?  Whatever the reason, the truth can not be denied.  Super hero films are out-selling most other flicks and video games have become big business.  Computers are in every household and the Internet is now as regular a place to socialize as the local pub.

Although the article is a bit older, one writer for Esquire attempts to explain it by saying that people are connecting to the stories behind the super hero genre.  What the movies have to say is universal, regardless of how they choose to present it.  And, of course, Hollywood has made sure that all geek-inspired films contain the requisite amount of scantily clad women (and sometimes men) as well as plenty of things exploding.

A tech site by the name of Hongkiat.com explores a different angle on the subject.  Their chief explanation involves the rise of the Internet and the power of those who know how to control it.  The geeks created our new phenomenon and they’ve been feeding it ever since its inception.  Geeks make the content and thus decide what’s cool or not.  They also talk a bit about the “rebel” nature of some of the big millionaire geeks, how many of the biggest managed to do what they did without a college degree.  Rebels are, as a social phenomenon, folk heroes of sorts and that includes the geeks.

For those more interested in the scene and how it’s grown in popularity, I highly recommend a movie called Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope.  Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker who brought us Super Size Me, explores the way the geek culture has risen in recent years and what the people who populate the convention scene are like these days.  Here’s a trailer to entice you into viewing this amazing film:

Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope - Official Trailer [HD]

But the opinions of others can only take us so far.  Being one who was there before it all began and coming from a time when super heroes were synonymous with “loser”, I have my own opinions on how I’ve seen it play out.

My opinion?  Well, first and foremost, video games are cool and have always been cool.  They’re a relatively cheap was to pass the time and the nature of competitive games, such as first-person shooters, attract even the jockiest of football players to jump online and prove their superiority by blowing the crap out of anonymous people on Call of Duty or some other war game.

As far as comic books go, super heroes are just plain sexy.  Put someone in skintight and oft-revealing clothing, place them in a movie and have them blow things up and everyone wants to watch.  Plus, as Esquire pointed out, people can relate to these super-powered misfits.  In today’s world, alienation is a big issue.  When the alienated one is justified by being given some amazing abilities, we feel that our own plight isn’t quite as bad.

And finally, computers equal money.  People are learning more about computers because they’re a viable and reliable job to have, especially in a bad economy.  When you begin to delve into the world of computers, even if it’s just to have a regular paycheck, you inevitably become involved in all the things surrounding the machine, including video games and other geeky Internet phenomena.

Of course, some questions remain - will this “geek chic” pass away like any other trend?  Will the geeks go the way of the hippy, getting old and moving on to other things?  Or is this now a permanent part of our culture?

Image courtesy of Alan