Rise Of The Geeks

Like it or not, social media has given the unassuming kid a second chance. Those that were once coerced to be introverted have now found a new platform with which express themselves, and it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The beauty is that it’s inside, in the mind. People are now publicising their thoughts for the world to see and everybody has the time to give a damn. Back in school, the quirky kid with the shirt tucked in a little too tightly never got a chance to put his message across freely, until recently, and in such a vociferous manner.

So here we are, the geeks are finally getting the freaks in the most unprecedented manner. But what’s the difference between the popular kids offline and the popular one’s online? The mind. Sure, we have profile pictures, display pictures and avatars, but what really gets the people going is your particular brand of perspective on... everything really. A lot of popularity in the real world is attributed to aesthetic appeal. You can’t even fault it, as Drake the philosopher says “If you ain’t got it, you ain’t got, the theory is brilliant”. This is why you can’t even be surprised that the most influential people offline are not heavily invested online, because it dilutes their presence if their smarts don’t match their appearance. In some cases, you get to see the inner workings of a troubled mind, and it belongs to who you thought was always cool, calm and collected. Sometimes you have the rare occurrence where the cool guy with street cred is also proficient with the QWERTY keyboard. However, more often than not on social media, people are attracted to a person’s intrinsic beauty rather than their outward appearance.

A lot of talk, and sometimes stigma, circles around starting relationships with people you meet online. I’m not entirely sure when meeting people became so complicated that it became judged, but you can’t help but feel connections with people that are on your wavelength. If you want to meet those people, go for it. I think it beats befriending people purely on the basis of being your friend’s friend. Online, people are a lot more open, direct and free. They no longer have to worry about anyone invading their personal space unless they invite them. People become so comfortable with each other that they overshare or become emotionally invested in the most trivial matters.

Is making friendships or any kind of relationship online any less real than making them at a house party, mall or back seat of a taxi? I certainly don’t think so. Yes, we have catfish and people who pretend to be something they’re not, but all these facades are dispelled by the first meeting.  All the nerdy, awkward children are now adored by the masses. In the marathon of life, they just got a second wind. By association, it has filtered through to the real world. The cast of Big Bang Theory is more likely to get laid than the cast of Blue Mountain State, whether they are online or not. Smart is the new beautiful, yet still in the eye of the beholder. Maybe I didn’t see this in the past thanks to my naivety and being wet behind ears, or perhaps it was never mentioned out loud or posted all over the internet, but people are less shallow than I thought. The playing fields have been levelled in a way where jocks and mean girls are now required to incorporate some level of depth in their personalities... or not, they can continue to adorn the fashionable fabrics of misters Hardy, Abercrombie and Fitch.

One distinct disadvantage that has arisen since the advent of social media is the level of judgement that has

increased at an exponential rate, as was showcased after the ellipsis in the previous paragraph. Cyber bullies have contributed to the suicides of several people that they never even met. This is where a level of discretion needs to observed. If you take everything seriously, you will have a very bad time. However, if something is repeated often enough and convincingly enough, you will subconsciously take it to heart. Either way, I’ve always thought suicide was for the emotionally bankrupt and cowardice extremists. Just please, before you make any rash decisions, look at the bigger picture.

No longer are people subjected to conduct themselves to the whims of the genetically gifted few. Creativity within well articulated prose now has a relevant place in the world. Never has it been so cool to be strange. This is the rise of the planet of the geeks.