Are you a geek? In 2005, the chances are greater than ever that you could be and not even know it. Gone are the days when geeks are easily spotted, sporting pocket protectors and coke bottle glasses. And gone are the days when Long Duk Dong from Sixteen Candles typified the introverted nerd of the 1980’s. Nerds, Geeks – what ever you want to call them – are breaking contemporary stereotypes.
Jocks, Analysts, CPAs, Lawyers, Venture Capitalists, Lottery Winners, Rock Stars – it doesn’t make a difference. Being in the know about the latest product is part of the societal fabric now. Nerds are no longer lepers sent to Geek Island. People are elbowing each other out of the way to get their hands on the latest and greatest gadgets, and chances are you’re one of those people.
Now anyone can be a geek; in fact, geek is chic. With the resurgence of Apple – the omnipresent Mac that Steve Jobs won’t let die – geekish behavior is en vogue and here to stay. People want to be identified with their gadgets and gizmos, be it their MP3 player or the computer bag they tote around the mall.
Even U2 can’t make up their mind. One weekend Bono and the band are designing their collector iPod cover, and the next they are hanging with Bill Gates because of their mutual philanthropic endeavors. Bill Gates is cool, but according to Bono, Apple iPods are much cooler.
Would Quiet Riot or Poison be hanging out with the biggest geek on the planet in 1985? I don’t think so. But times are a changing.
Ask Bono. It is tough to make up your mind. There is a lot of information out there, and unless you get a personal audience with the richest man on the planet, you’ll have to sift through all that information by yourself. In 2005, technology decisions are personality decisions.
Mac or PC? Which camp are you from? Geeks were once their own race. Now there are so many geeks that different species are evolving.
Mac users are becoming vocal about their devotion. Allegiance to Apple and their products – iPod, iBook, PowerBook or otherwise – trumpets creativity and free expression. PC users are easily lumped into the “Spreadsheet Jockey” camp because, plain and simply, PCs aren’t as visually appealing.
And Mac users want you to know it.
People – nerds in herds – are putting Apple stickers on their car bumper so that in a traffic jam you can know what computer acts as their vehicle when connecting to the internet superhighway. Political parties, religious affiliation, charity of choice and computer loyalty are all on the same footing now. It is all part of getting in touch with your inner-geek.
Rewind 15 years, and only geeks knew what Al Gore was up to with the Internet. Now grandparents are e-mailing birthday wishes and sending out 50th anniversary invitations from their Hotmail accounts.
You mean to tell me Octogenarian’s are geeks?
You betcha! And so are you.
You’re a geek. It’s ok. Welcome to the fold.