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The Rise of Geekdom

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the news-to-nobody dept.

cynagh0st writes "In what can only be described as the biggest newsflash for the Slashdot community since Microsoft was sued: It is the age of the geek. New York Times Op-Ed columnist and author David Brooks writes a brief article that can be best summed up in the following: All your culture are belong to us. In the article proper he summarizes the rise to power and discusses a technocratic geek dominance on the social construct. He writes, '... the new technology created a range of mental playgrounds where the new geeks could display their cultural capital. The jock can shine on the football field, but the geeks can display their supple sensibilities and well-modulated emotions on their Facebook pages, blogs, text messages and Twitter feeds ... They've created a new definition of what it means to be cool, a definition that leaves out the talents of the jocks, the M.B.A.-types and the less educated ... There are now millions of educated-class types guided by geek manners and status rules.'" I'm thinking Brooks must have been AFK for the 2nd half of the 90s when this started. To be more precise, late 97 ;)

4 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Aw, furrfu! by metlin · · Score: 1, Redundant

    They've created a new definition of what it means to be cool, a definition that leaves out the talents of the jocks, the M.B.A.-types and the less educated...There are now millions of educated-class types guided by geek manners and status rules.
    Except for the fact that a lot of geeks today end up going to B-school anyway and are geeks who understand business.

    As I see it, geekdom has matured, where a lot of people realize the value of someone who can understand and speak to technology, business, management and finance.

    Secondly, being a geek does not necessarily mean that you don't enjoy sports, or be an "MBA type". I'm a geek with an engineering background who loves technology. I build gadgets from MAKE, love my Lego Mindstorms, write code for fun and enjoy keeping up on technology.

    However, I'm definitely a "suit type" (considering that I am a management consultant), and would definitely love to go to B-school at some point. I also enjoy playing sports, staying fit and working out.

    Yes, geekdom has arrived - but it has arrived the same way finance geeks were accepted as being "cool" a few generations ago.
  2. Mod up please by ciggieposeur · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Agree 100%.

  3. Re:something going mainstream does not become bad by Eli+Gottlieb · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Yeah, but now far more people want to be badass than want to be good.

  4. Every time I think the US might not be so bad by hassanchop · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I see unrepentant partisan toolboxes like you and realize we're fucking doomed.

    Shut up please, you're making a fool of yourself by not realizing it was a joke.

    And frankly, you have to be a serious loser to spend that much time composing a defense of a guy Like Al Gore, who was never as important or relevant as you and he seem to think.