It’s Cool to be a Geek? Technology Influencing the Culture of Cool

When exactly did it become cool to be a geek? No really, help me out; I can’t pinpoint the exact time it became cool to be a geek. It kind of just snuck up on us, didn’t it? A slow, gradual, unnoticeable process that sought to lift up the lowly geek from his cradle of public ostracism. But it’s here, no doubt about it. Cool geeky action heroes star in mainstream movies, digital watches are chic, tech know-how no longer means you’re a loser, science-related Facebook pages have millions of followers, and “geek fashion” is trendy. I’ve got a theory as to why the geek has made a comeback, but, like all theories, it’s only a collection of observations and assumptions, and it has some holes. It’s not perfect, but perhaps it will help explain why the geek is the new king.

But is the geek truly the new king or am I simply losing my mind? Let’s make some observations.

First, let’s look at fashion. When I look at “geek fashion”, the primary thought that flashes in my mind is: What’s going on? How did dressing like a geek become fashionable? Fashion has always been the domain of the cool and hip, and now that geek-wear is accepted and cool, what does that say about society’s opinion of the geek? The fashionable parts of society have welcomed the geek with open arms. Is this “Geek is the New Sexy” fashion movement simply an offshoot of the hipster’s ironic fashion? Is there something more to this? I think there is, but let’s look at the action heroes next.

Shia Laboef is a prime example of how the geek is gaining momentum. Years ago, in the 80’s and 90’s, the geek was heavily stereotyped in cinema. At worst, he was made a target of ridicule. At best, an object of sympathy. Only occasionally was the geek the star of the show (see Revenge of the Nerds), but, even then, he was heavily lambasted for exhibiting the stereotypical geeky traits. But, now, Shia Laboef is the hero. Albeit a mostly reluctant hero. But, in the end, he still gets the girl (a standard trope of the hero within cinema). Additionally, look at the romanticizaton in cinema of king geek, the hacker, who is cool in his own way, but he too benefits from and adds to the geek’s new, cool image. Next, let’s look at cool technology.

In the 80’s and 90’s, you would be publicly ostracized if you were caught wearing a wrist calculator. The wrist calculator was the scarlet letter of the geek and all the reason anyone needed to poke-fun, at best, or humiliate, at worst, the geek. In 2015, if you don’t have the latest tech and the latest, hottest, smartphone, you’re cool status is called into question. What trendy teenager would be caught dead without their beloved, sleek, slim, sexy, cool smartphone? And not just teens. Everyone loves their phones, but it seems that teens and young adults in particular use their phones to boost their cool factor. Indeed, we are looking at a relatively new trend in technology. New technology needs to not only to function properly, like in the good ol’ days of the 80’s and 90’s, it also needs to look cool. Next, those science-related Facebook page and Youtube channels. 

Some of these Facebook pages, like IFLS, command the attention of millions of people. Numberphile, a channel that analyzes numerical and mathematical theories and relates them to practical matters, has over 1.2 million subscribers on Youtube. How the hell did such geeky subjects gain cultural momentum? In the 80’s and 90’s, mathematics and science were niche subjects that were only studied in university classrooms or under cover of night. These days, if you haven’t seen the latest post on IFLS, you’ve left the in crowd. All the cool kids love IFLS.

Perhaps I’m looking at this all wrong. Maybe geekiness never became cool. Maybe what became cool was the revised idea of the geek. Historically, the image of the geek involved bad skin; messy, dirty hair; a bad facial complexion (think acne); and social awkwardness. What does the new image of the geek look like? It sure as hell doesn’t look like me. The geek’s new image looks like a handsome, muscular guy with good skin, presumable social grace, and clean hair. How do we know he’s a geek? He’s also wearing horn-rimmed glasses.

Maybe I’m just looking at that wrong, because I just described a fashion model modeling “geek fashion”. The fashion industry both reflects and influences culture, so it may be safe to assume that something had to cause the fashion industry to take up the geek banner.

Still, maybe Shia Laboef is a fluke. Maybe it’s all just a fad. Maybe smartphones are seen as cool because wealth equals cool. Maybe Facebook pages are only cool to certain niches, albeit, large niches and have other appeal aside from their technical subject matter. Maybe there is more to the above observations. I suspect there is more in the works that influence these phenomenon, but I’ll just look at just one of the trends at work. I’ll argue that there is a serious, overriding, trend in the works. What is this trend? The lessening and removal of the geek stigma; it is the vindication of the master of tech, the geek.

But, why? How did this trend come about? Why has the geek made such a comeback? What made the fashion industry take up the geek banner? Here’s my imperfect theory.

Given that technology has become increasingly prevalent and, even, invasive, it only makes sense that those folks who understand it all, the geeks, share some part in the fame and coolness that new tech radiates. But, there is a problem with this. Why didn’t this happen in an earlier time, like the 90’s, when technology was just as new? Well, it was new back then, so why wasn’t the geek romanticized, then? My only explanation is that the technology back then, while revolutionary and becoming more common, was simply not as common as it is today. It was “in” people’s lives, but most people didn’t notice it. It just wasn’t as obvious, and in-your-face, as today’s tech.

All of this obvious tech that, quite frankly, rules our lives more than ever has had more than its fair chance to influence the culture. Tech influences the culture and the culture influences the tech (see iPhone culture for proof of that). In the past, the geek was a mere hobbyist whose hobbies didn’t impact much of anything. Today, his skills and abilities have made him a veritable technocrat, and he, thusly, enjoys a golden age that most other subcultures can only hope to catch a glimpse of.

It’s a good time to be a geek. As long predicted, the meek have inherited the earth. The culture of cool is only a reflection of this fact.