Geeks are specialists

Geek: a person who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, by obscure or very specific areas of knowledge and imagination

Historically we associate ‘geek’ with computer nerds who may be struggling socially, possess above average intelligence and probably more than a few pet hobbies, just a tad too far outside mainstream culture for anyone else to easily relate to. But I’d like to introduce to you a slightly more refined and more modern notion of exactly what geek is, and sadly I would say that the computer geek has taken the cake over the past few decades and received glowing attention in this regard.

My dictionary defines a ‘geek’ as:
- an unfashionable or socially inept person.
- a carnival performer who does wild or disgusting acts. (origin)

or ‘geeky’ (the adjective) as:
- a person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest : a computer geek.

Wikipedia covers the subject in depth and with finer detail, leaning initially towards the technical bias the term inspires, but then broadening outwards declaring a geek as“one who is primarily motivated by passion”.

I believe that geeks are the specialists and they should be celebrated. They are passionate and they are experts of what may have been in the past niche and rare. They love what they do, and they are fascinated by it. In times past, geeks suffered marginalization from the mainstream. Their passions were often in conflict with our blockbuster enthused monocular vision of our world and life. Sidelined and marginalized their sharply focused enthusiasms and passions gave way to the more general and generic.

Today we have the internet. We have social networks, we have search and we have the ability to easily target any idea, singular or shared and make a connection and then a community. These small communities resonate with shared passions and interests at their center around which people gravitate. Just as in any crowd, they have their core 1%, their surrounding involved, and the larger group of periphery onlookers. I’m definitely game for the geek, and any community from big fish like – YouTube to IMDB, Wikipedia and of course Virb; but more lovingly the smaller ones – Fanboy, Flytip, The London Anime Club and The Bag Blog. These people are making up the most vibrant scene on the net with high quality, passion driven, experienced content, and surrounded each within their own distinct micro hysteria.

I know many geeks in every walk of life. In fact if you look inside you should be quite proud to notice the geek in you. Its very dear and special. Perhaps its an affinity amongst the earth, or the stars. Perhaps its animals or plants, or the way natural chemicals join and interact with each other. Perhaps its the historic landscapes or perhaps just portraits. Perhaps its the people in the portraits or the people in the magazines – the gossip from around town. Maybe its the world those people live in, or the worlds they use to live in. And maybe its also the virtual world where these ideas are right now going to travel through so they can arrive and arrange themselves in front of you, for your generous consideration.

I know my geeks from my nerds, and they should be celebrated in every walk of life. Who do you know?

If you want to know more, get in touch. This is just the tip of the iceberg.