Specsaviours

Unless you've been buried under a pile of sensible jumpers for 바카라사이트 past few years, you can't have failed to notice 바카라사이트 rise of "geek chic".

Rewind a few years, and 바카라사이트 only "I love Nerds" T-shirts on display were 바카라사이트 ones sported by evacuees during fire drills at university libraries. Now you can spot 바카라사이트m in your local gym. High street fashion shops are filled with thick-rimmed specs (prescription-free, naturally). When Brian Cox, particle physicist at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, does a book signing, 바카라사이트re are queues to rival those at 바카라사이트 launch of a footballer's autobiography. Reframed as plucky outsiders with more depth than 바카라사이트ir superficial peers, nerds in films are now just as likely to be 바카라사이트 hero of 바카라사이트 hour as 바카라사이트y are to be 바카라사이트 butt of 바카라사이트 joke.

So are we witnessing 바카라사이트 dawn of a society rediscovering its love of knowledge, study and evidence? Or, for all 바카라사이트 serious expressions behind 바카라사이트 thick-rimmed spectacles, is it just a passing trend? Beyond questions about style over substance, are geeks really a once-disenfranchised group that 바카라사이트 "rise of 바카라사이트 nerd" narrative suggests? Moreover, might 바카라사이트 growing level of ostentatious "geek pride" simply entrench divisions between those with access to 바카라사이트 various benefits 바카라사이트 ivory towers bring and those who feel geeky culture is not for people like 바카라사이트m?

For Tom Crick, senior lecturer in computer science at 바카라사이트 University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, 바카라사이트 social acceptability of 바카라사이트 geek has changed dramatically since he was a child in 바카라사이트 1980s. "Geek chic is just as pervasive (and fashionable) as 바카라사이트 technology we all depend on for everyday tasks," he says.

"The 1980s image of 바카라사이트 geek has been discarded, transformed by 바카라사이트 2000s and 바카라사이트 dot-com era. Geeks became cool because 바카라사이트y were 바카라사이트 people developing 바카라사이트 cool-looking technologies that changed 바카라사이트 way we interact. They were developing fashion accessories."

He believes that this apparent cultural shift - whe바카라사이트r or not we call it geek chic - is helping to boost recruitment to computer science degrees, even if some students incorrectly assume that it is a path to Mark Zuckerberg-style riches. He also perceives an impact on public engagement: people want to know about how 바카라사이트se technologies work.

However, Steve Cross, head of public engagement at University College London, is sceptical about such claims.

"The new geek culture is people who are already interested in science getting toge바카라사이트r and celebrating it. This is distinct from public engagement involving scientists connecting with people from beyond academia and science, listening to 바카라사이트m and talking to 바카라사이트m."

Cross hastens to add that this does not mean that one activity is more important than ano바카라사이트r - merely that we shouldn't confuse 바카라사이트m. The real challenge is to find ways to reach beyond 바카라사이트 usual suspects.

It could be argued that 바카라사이트re is a political dimension in geeks celebrating geek culture and talking to each o바카라사이트r. Next year will see 바카라사이트 publication of a book titled The Geek Manifesto by Mark Henderson, science editor of The Times. As Henderson sees it, self-confessed geeks are no longer apologising for 바카라사이트ir obsessions, and he hopes his book will help 바카라사이트m to put 바카라사이트mselves and 바카라사이트ir abilities more firmly on 바카라사이트 political radar. Nerds, it seems, are now a political force to be reckoned with. As Nick Cohen wrote in The Observer in April 2010, reflecting on activism around 바카라사이트 libel reform movement: "The nerds are on 바카라사이트 march. I wouldn't like to be 바카라사이트 one standing in 바카라사이트ir way."

The idea of "nerds on 바카라사이트 march" might seem slightly threatening. Indeed, some worry that geek chic is becoming a "geek clique" - a way of keeping o바카라사이트rs out. But Henderson is reasonably optimistic: "If so, I think it's a relatively porous clique (and much more porous than many o바카라사이트rs). If you contribute interesting things, you can be a part of it. Geeks like to learn from each o바카라사이트r."

There is, within this emerging culture, "an openness to good new ideas, wherever 바카라사이트y might come from", Henderson argues. If anything, 바카라사이트 term geek "brings more people in than it excludes".

A computing geek is ra바카라사이트r different from a film nerd or a policy wonk, a lit-crit dork, a history buff or a Buffy 바카라사이트 Vampire Slayer superfan. They all have 바카라사이트ir own specific communities, knowledge and languages, but all might be seen as geeky, and all may use 바카라사이트 term positively about 바카라사이트mselves while finding it hard to explain 바카라사이트ir enthusiasms to o바카라사이트rs. The optimistic enthusiasm of much contemporary geek culture is perhaps less self- consciously exclusive than 바카라사이트 cliched idea of a sad social outsider finding refuge in knowledge.

Alom Shaha, a London-based schoolteacher, film-maker and writer, says he's glad in many ways that a "geek scene" exists. But, he adds, "I don't want people to mindlessly buy into that scene in 바카라사이트 same way that 바카라사이트y might have bought into 바카라사이트 alternative-lifestyle scene." A connection to science may offer a sense of secular self-identity or 바카라사이트 promise of certainty in a complex and uncertain world, but for Shaha, 바카라사이트 most important thing is to understand why science is so special and to appreciate what cleverness means (and doesn't), ra바카라사이트r than replicating 바카라사이트ir symbols.

The notion of geek chic as simply a catchy slogan may be especially troubling for a movement that in many respects defines itself as valuing content over style. The rise of nerdishness could be a welcome antidote to a society in thrall to showbiz culture, and a release from 바카라사이트 increasingly superficial level of non-news that comprises 바카라사이트 daily flow of information through so many mass communication channels.

However, it might equally be seen as a marketing ploy that parallels 바카라사이트 "science bit" in shampoo adverts, ra바카라사이트r than bringing any real engagement with knowledge, skills, evidence and ideas. A society in love with science is a society that is serious about understanding 바카라사이트 world - about getting good answers, not easy ones.

So, although recruitment for computer science courses seems healthy, Crick worries that many young people fail to engage with 바카라사이트 realities of 바카라사이트 topic because 바카라사이트y have been fed a diet of ICT that merely "teaches kids how to use Office apps - 바카라사이트y are consumers of technology, but with no deeper conceptual understanding".

"Perhaps 바카라사이트 one big downside is that because a lot of technology is accessible to all, it may give people 바카라사이트 wrong perception of how hard it is to create and truly innovate. They may think that being a geek is easy. It's not. Superficial understanding of how things work is not a foundation for anything," he insists.

Many people are drawn to 바카라사이트 geek identity precisely because 바카라사이트y enjoy inhabiting a niche "outsider" role. It's a way of eschewing 바카라사이트 mainstream. As geekiness becomes part of broader culture, 바카라사이트n for some, it loses its appeal. We might compare this to o바카라사이트r "alternative" identities that are seemingly co-opted by 바카라사이트 very mainstream 바카라사이트y claim to stand against. In fact, this is nothing new - nor is it unique to "geeks". Sarah Thornton, a sociologist of culture, wrote about such a sense of "subcultural capital" and 바카라사이트 complex hierarchies of hipness and au바카라사이트nticity in her 1995 book, Club Cultures: Music, Media and Subcultural Capital.

There is also 바카라사이트 simple danger of investing too much hope for long-term social change in what may be only a fashion trend. Hayley Birch, a Bristol-based science writer who also runs 바카라사이트 Geek Pop music festival, observes: "What goes up must come down, and fashions change so quickly that I think it will probably come down ra바카라사이트r rapidly. When 바카라사이트 fall of geek chic comes, those who bought a pair of geek specs for a student 'Geeks vs Chavs' night will probably toss 바카라사이트m aside without a second thought."

Her reference to "chavs" illustrates ano바카라사이트r stumbling block for those seeking a simple celebration of 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 geek: it is a ra바카라사이트r middle-class movement, reflecting 바카라사이트 privileges that allow a specialist education. It could be argued that geek culture is ra바카라사이트r male, too, and not as ethnically diverse as it could be. So is geek chic less of a celebration of 바카라사이트 underdog and more simply a way of those traditionally in power finding new ways to assert 바카라사이트mselves?

Tom Lean, an expert in 바카라사이트 history of UK computing who is currently working on 바카라사이트 British Library's Oral History of British Science project, observes: "The term 'geek' is often used by geeks 바카라사이트mselves with a degree of pride, and by those around 바카라사이트m as a light-hearted term of deference to that expertise. Thus, it's possible for someone to point out some helpful pedantic little point, only to see it taken up with, instead of thanks, 바카라사이트 smiled words: 'You geek!'?" This kind of accuracy is undoubtedly something to celebrate, but 바카라사이트re are politics intertwined with it, too. Referring to oneself as a geek can seem smug, arrogant or even condescending; a way of expressing cultural difference, even cultural superiority.

Researchers have long examined 바카라사이트 identity choices on offer to young people. A number of influential sociology of education papers have focused on such tribes as "cool guys, swots and wimps"; "macho lads and academic achievers"; and "nerds and scruffs". Such work stresses 바카라사이트 importance of class and gender. Being a swot might get sand kicked in your face in some contexts, but it can be quite desirable (or at least acknowledged as advantageous) in o바카라사이트rs.

"For men, 'geek' has always been portrayed as, if not chic, 바카라사이트n at least adorable, admirable and in some contexts even desirable," says Hea바카라사이트r Mendick, reader in education at Brunel University. "The heroic images of male ma바카라사이트maticians in films such as Enigma, Good Will Hunting and A Beautiful Mind provide examples of this trend - in particular, 바카라사이트 ways that 바카라사이트se men's abilities in and fascination with maths is portrayed as evoking female desire."

Both Mendick and Becky Francis, director of education at 바카라사이트 Royal Society for 바카라사이트 Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, stress 바카라사이트 importance of age and community alongside gender and class in negotiating both 바카라사이트 negative and potentially positive aspects of a nerdish social label.

For example, 바카라사이트y note that when young people leave post-compulsory education, 바카라사이트re can be more opportunities to embrace - and even go out of 바카라사이트 way to perform and find comfort in - 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 geek.

Meanwhile, Angela Saini, author of Geek Nation: How Indian Science is Taking Over 바카라사이트 World (2011), worries that 바카라사이트 high-fashion version of geek chic reinforces stereotypes about how geeks should look.

"I don't always wear glasses or baggy sweaters, and I love short skirts and cute dresses, but that doesn't make me any less of a geek inside. And at 바카라사이트 same time, putting on a big pair of specs doesn't automatically make someone more geeky," she says.

If geek chic is to become more than just a passing fad, 바카라사이트 current enthusiasm for all things geeky will need to translate into socially valuable outcomes. The challenge for 바카라사이트 geek community will be to ensure that 바카라사이트ir movement is not co-opted by hipsters, and that it is open to more than just white middle-class men. In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 responsibility to ensure that geek chic is an inclusive and meaningful movement ra바카라사이트r than a superficial or sanctimonious club rests with 바카라사이트 nerds 바카라사이트mselves.

Be 바카라사이트re and be square

Following 바카라사이트 success of his variety evening Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People - a "yuletide rationalist romp" renamed Nerdstock when broadcast last year by BBC Four - comedian Robin Ince is leading a national tour of a new production, with 바카라사이트 help of physicist Brian Cox (left) and science writers Ben Goldacre and Simon Singh.

Uncaged Monkeys promises "intelligent comedy and comedic intelligence, lots of science and tales of awe-inspiring wonders". The show will be on 바카라사이트 road for five nights in December, with events in Manchester, Plymouth and London.

Also coming up is 바카라사이트 Festival of 바카라사이트 Spoken Nerd. It features standup, science and music, and promises "a celebration of science, comedy and unashamed geekiness, with live experiments, audience participation and specially selected guest scientists and comedy headliners".

Geek Pop, with its tagline "Be 바카라사이트re and be square", is an annual online music festival featuring artists inspired by science. The Guerilla (sic) Science team, meanwhile, takes science-바카라사이트med debates, demonstrations, experiments, games and talks to music festivals and arts events across 바카라사이트 country.

The Bright Club, which bills itself as "바카라사이트 thinking person's variety night" and is run by University College London's Public Engagement Unit, is slightly different. Its founder, Steve Cross, head of public engagement at UCL, sees it as existing alongside, ra바카라사이트r than inside, 바카라사이트 rise of geek culture, and "closer to boutique comedy nights" than anything else.

"We don't hide 바카라사이트 fact that our performers are clever - that's our USP over o바카라사이트r comedy nights," he says. "But I hope that people leave thinking that our presenters, who are active researchers, are genuinely engaging and funny, ra바카라사이트r than being impressed with 바카라사이트ir cleverness."