It wasn’t always hip to be geeky. In the past, being called a “geek” was an insult, implying a certain kind of awkwardness and lack of social skills that one did not want to associate themselves with. The term can first be traced to the 18th century word “gecken,” which was a German term used to refer to carnival performers who would bite the heads off live chickens. Yes, apparently that was a thing. Fast forward to the fifties, where “geek” was used to describe people who were passionate about technology and other interests, like film and comic books.
It wasn’t until the past decade that the idea of the ironic “geek” started infiltrating popular culture, along with a shift in its meaning. Suspenders, horn-rimmed glasses, and other fashions typically associated with a more awkward kind of “geek,” all comprise the current “geek chic” aesthetic. This style played a significant role in altering the word’s meaning by allowing people to only retain the positive elements of the term while scrapping the “uncoolness” that it used to be associated with.
It is now socially acceptable to be geeky. The “geek” has been reclaimed and geeks shall inherit the earth.
