In recent times, geek chic has taken the world somewhat by storm. It's no longer something to be ashamed of if you're handy with a computer and wear specs, it's something to be proud of and to show off. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the silver screen, or on the smaller screen in our living rooms, where geeks are regularly saving the day using their brains and technology rather than pure brawn.
Recently a number of high profile high tech heroes have risen to the forefront of pop culture. Here we will look at a few of the best, and what they say about the modern nerd...
Tony Stark
When it comes to high tech heroics, they don't come much more high tech than Tony Stark. The billionaire genius philanthropist playboy has made a mint across four films as played by Robert Downey Jr and also starred in a number of kids cartoons on TV. Of course the central conceit of Iron Man, is that he's elevated himself to super-heroic heights through the use of his intellect and his gadgets alone. Thanks to the power of his ideas, he has been able to go toe to toe with Gods and muscle-bound monsters, while in his private life his tech wizardry ensures he lives a life of luxury and beds plenty of beautiful women. This is pure escapism for most techies who dream of becoming heroes of silicon valley.
Batman
Before Robert Downey Jr took Tony Stark mainstream, Batman was the most high tech hero in popular culture. Using a combination of gadgets and detective skills, Batman would track down the villains of Gotham and bring them to justice (while looking mean in a cape). His high-tech nature was epitomised in The Dark Knight, where he creates a sonar device that relies on the GPS and connections of mobile devices all around the world giving him an almost omniscience that makes Alfred uncomfortable.
Doctor Who
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Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime was always going to be something of a high tech hero seeing as how he's actually a robot... While Optimus Prime is a born leader more than a techie himself, he and his comrades in arms are something of a tech fantasy for guys and girls who get excited over tablets and PCs.
Neo
Neo was one of the first big-time tech heroes as a hacker railing against the system. This is the position that many coders and hackers find themselves in, and in the first Matrix film Neo captured that feeling of disconnect and high-tech freedom perfectly. Also he knows Kung Fu.
Kevin Flynn
Kevin Flynn from the Tron series is another hacker and coder-come hero. This is another story that's really about one man struggling against the system with his wits, while the second explores some potential implications of AIs.
Featured images:
License: Creative Commons image source
About Today's Contributor:
Today's guest author, Harvey Branson, is a sales executive at V Media, a leading service provider for TV on the internet in Canada.
Today's guest author, Harvey Branson, is a sales executive at V Media, a leading service provider for TV on the internet in Canada.
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