When discussing the great moments in human history and pondering the revelations and inventions that have pushed us forward as a species, no matter what comes up, there’s probably a geek behind it.
From the invention of the wheel to the invention of the iPhone, those who have pushed themselves to puzzle through and solve the problems of their time, those who have used logic, science and technology to answer — and ask — our deepest questions have advanced not only society but our understanding of the world we live in.
Some of the greatest moments in history have been geek moments. And Daniel Terdiman wants to find the best.
Terdiman, a senior writer for VentureBeat, will be working with business innovators FastCompany to head up a SXSW Interactive panel looking for The Greatest Geek Moment in History. Entries will be narrowed down using a tournament-style bracket system and a panel of geek experts will discuss the results.
“‘Geek,’ of course, is a loaded word to some, but I want this to potentially encompass science, history, computers, the Internet, entertainment, [etc…] and ‘geek’ seemed like the best word to capture it all,” Terdiman said when asked about the label that has become, for many, a badge of honor.
Panels like this — indeed the exploding popularity of SXSW Interactive itself — speak to a shifting power differential in today’s society. Not only are the “geeks” behind the latest and greatest in technology and computing fields cashing in, in a big way, on their work, they are the new cool kids.
Compare, for instance, the most popular sitcom from the 1990s and early 2000s with the highest rated comedy today. In Friends, six conventionally attractive, well-dressed twenty-somethings lounge in a coffee shop sharing their escapades in love and life. (The show may be fresh for many given its recent debut on the Netflix-fueled-nostalgic-
In Big Bang Theory, the current rating’s giant, a band of awkward but charming scientists proof, cosplay and game their way through a world that alternately shames and appreciates them, though in the audience’s eyes they’re always on top.
You know you’ve arrived when Hollywood produces a funny, stereotypical version of you for ratings success.
While Big Bang Theory may qualify more as a cultural indicator than a great moment in history, Terdiman believes that some moments in geek fiction may have a chance at the top spot, like the 1977 debut of the original Star Wars.
“I went to opening day of the original Star Wars at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco on May 25, 1977. If you look it up, that was THE theater to see it at on day one. I will always cherish having been there, even if I was just a kid.”
When asked why these movies inspire such passion in their audiences, Terdiman said, “I think these stories are very human, they’re fun, they’re humble, and they just make people feel good.”
Truth has mirrored fiction in so many ways. While celebrations of geek cinema and entertainment have exploded since that fated debut, with conventions like Comic Con gaining in popularity and the number of attendees each year, technology has advanced at a breakneck pace and much of what used to be science fiction has become reality.
The past 100 years alone have seen an evolution in technology that is hard to fathom. Asked to narrow it down even further to great geek moments in the past two decades, Terdiman answered easily.
“Sure, the launch of Google,” he said. “The launch of Facebook. The debut of the iPhone. The opening of the Large Hadron Collider. Modern society is filled with great geek moments.”
The ubiquity of geek moments throughout history makes for thrilling and confusing competition. The panel of “culturally-savvy geeks” will seek to answer questions like: What is a great geek moment? What’s the criteria?
What are geeks interested in today?
Is there an immediacy to these moments? Do we know when a great moment has been made, that moment? Or does it need to be proven enduring in terms of appeal or usefulness?
While Terdiman maintains that, “you know [a great geek moment] when you see it,” he added that he’s still working through these answers himself.
As for his prediction for the winner, he said, “My guess is it’ll be something related to Apple or Star Wars. But I kind of hope it’s some great scientific moment from hundreds of years ago.”
Whether it’s a geek from hundreds of years ago, or one who stood on their shoulders, the audience will surely be reminded of all the history geeks have made.