Geek Week 3.0 is underway here at Plex, which inspired us to take a moment to reflect on just how far we’ve come over the years. And by we, we mean us nerds. Also known as dorks, dweebs, brainiacs, four-eyes (if glasses were involved), and, of course, let’s not forget, geeks.
Those labeled by these not-so-affectionate terms had a lot in common.
First and foremost, they were outsiders. At every college party and every high school cafeteria, geeks stood apart. They were the ones buried in their sci-fi or fantasy novels or comic books or the ones who hung out in gaming arcades and video stores. This devotion to (what was once) unpopular pursuits, a certain penchant for facts and figures, and higher than usual intelligence certainly didn’t help them climb the popularity charts. To add to that, geeks spoke in tongues indecipherable and dressed in clothes way out of trend.
As with everything else, pop culture took that stereotype and played it out at full blast. Geek characters were always portrayed as charmless, harmless, and dateless. Even in movies and shows, once-upon-a–very-recent-time geeks were the meek, weak, and socially inept ones.
Think George McFly from Back to the Future. Or Revenge of the Nerds. Steve Urkel or Screech on prime-time TV. And yes, no list of famous geeks will be complete without the Assistant (to the) Regional Manager, Dwight Schrute. Although, even as lead characters, they were still fighting for approval. Still looking outside-in.
Some danced.
Some tried to up their game with a different name.
Some fought ghosts. With cold, hard science obviously.
But it is to these characters that we, the geeks of today, are forever indebted. They are the nerds that stumbled and walked so that modern geeks could run. They paved the way and laid the foundation for our empire. And yes, the empire does strike back.
Who Runs the World (Now)? Geeks
Slowly but steadily, geeks have made a mockery of the jock-ery and ascended to the top of the social ladder.
Along the way, computers and the internet happened. Comic books became mainstream, and video games became cool. Video store clerks with vast and obscure movie knowledge became Hollywood hotshots. Looking at you, Quentin. And yes, mastery of Elvish or Klingon is now something to brag about, not whisper in hushed tones.
Now nerds are billionaires, influencers, billionaire influencers, and heartbreakers. The perceived lack of style is now a sought-after style. We now rule the world from our keyboards, and send cars into outer space on our rockets.
To be a geek is now a matter of pride. Stephen Colbert is a Tolkien-loving one. Rosario Dawson is a die-hard trekkie (yes, you were right to fall in love with her in Clerks 2). Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino sings about being one. Joe Manganiello (yes, that hunk of a man) is a huge Dungeons and Dragons fan and runs a campaign filled with famous faces.
Yes, this guy is a dungeon master.
What does all this mean? The dark days of oppression and ridicule are long gone. Geeks are now free to live the way we choose to, and express ourselves in ways we love. Nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide. Calls for a celebration, we think.
Geek Pride Day — The Origin Story
And hence was born, May 25, Geek Pride Day. The first one was supposedly organized in 2006 in Spain as “Día del Orgullo Friki.” And the internet picked it up. (Yes, that very internet created and nourished by geeks.) The US started celebrating it in 2008, and voila, now we have a worldwide party.
A few theories why May 25 was chosen to be Geek Pride Day:
- The date was reportedly chosen to coincide with the first Star Wars film, Episode IV: A New Hope, which was released on May 25, 1977.
- The day also marks “Towel Day,” which is celebrated by fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams. Fans carry a towel in his honor.
- Lastly, the day also marks The Glorious 25th of May, which fans of author Terry Pratchett’s Discworld celebrate, often with a sprig of lilac.
It’s a day to go out and celebrate your quirky pursuits. The more obscure they are, the better. You like Twilight Zone trivia? Talk about it. You like advanced calculus? Solve Show it off. You secretly collect Lex Luthor merch? Let the world admire it. Or simply gather your friends and have a geek parade.
This is our day. Lay claim to it. Let’s hold our head up and our glasses straight. For the past generations that were once tormented, for our future ones that will never have to hide their geekness. We are proud to be geeks.
Today we celebrate our…
Now Back to Geek Week 3.0
Speaking of Geek Pride, there’s one thing we’re more eager to show off than our knowledge… our pets… even our own children (we kid, we kid.) It’s our personal media. All the movies, music, and shows we love and have collected over the years. It’s our prized possession, something we intentionally drop into totally unrelated conversations. Like the last time your friends were debating restaurants and you magically changed the topic to a debate of underrated Keanu Reeves movies (all of which you have in a collection). Smooth like butter, it was.
Truth is though, you should be proud. You have great taste and an unrivaled passion for media. So why not treat yourself? Take things to the next level if you haven’t already. Celebrate our special day with an upgrade to your personal media that you can use the rest of your life. After all, birthdays come with presents. Why not Geek Pride Day? We’re gifting you 20% off a Lifetime Plex Pass now until the 25th of May. Just click the link below and redeem using the code GETGEEKY.
It has features that will take your collection to a whole new level. Hardware Transcoding, Skip Intro + Skip Credits, Downloads, and so much more. It’s a must-have for proud media geeks. Ask any Plex pro. Or read more about it here.
Now that’s something to be proud of. We’ve come a long way, baby.