- Aug 20, 2000
- 20,577
- 432
- 126
Now for some reason, in the last few years we've been inundated with a zombie flick revival. Resident Evil. 28 Days Later. Resident Evil 2. Dawn of the Dead. Shawn of the Dead. I caught the latter two this week, and besides the general zombieriffic slaughter noticed a few similarities:
1) The main male character in both movies has a lame job in the same field. Shaun sells electronics in retail. Michael sells TVs at Best Buy.
2) Demonstrably from #1, both Shaun and Michael are geeks.
3) While unassuming and disrespected in conventional times, both Shaun and Michael are turned to and regarded as leaders by near strangers in times of great need (eg. killer zombie attacks).
4) Both Shaun and Michael kick ass.
5) There is no #5.
I read something someone wrote a long time ago about how ex-cop Steven Bochco single-handedly made being a lawyer (and to a lesser degree, a cop) cool. Writer/producer and Harvard Medical School grad Michael Crichton gave doctors another starring turn with E.R. in '94. For more recent evidence, consider how many people (including Britney Spears, for god's sake) are suddenly interesting in becoming forensic investigators. Thank you CSI.
Now consider a pet theory of mine that hasn't quite taken off yet. Computer geeks = the new cool. Improbable? With movies like Hackers, Sneakers, The Net and Operation: Swordfish it seems like it's only a matter of time. What I'm not sure of, exactly, is how to cash in on this...
On the relationship end of the spectrum, cashing in on geeks seems to be all the rage lately. See this article in the NYTimes:
When [Christina] Aguilera announced her engagement to smarty-pants music executive Jordan Bratman in February, the 24-year-old pop star demonstrated a tried-and-true dating trick. Geeks have got the goods.
"A nerd is an excellent provider and a guy who puts you first," says E. Jean Carroll, Elle magazine's love and sex advice columnist. "He'll turn out to be a great father and a great husband."
And, she insists that a woman who is willing to stick it out with a nerd and get past his quirks will be handsomely rewarded. "Don't give up on him too fast," she said. "If you stick with him, he's going to turn out to be really great."
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/317296p-271224c.html
Yeah, I'm writing this more because it's amusing in that forum post sort of way than anything - I owe most of my geekdom to a really excellent memory than anything else - but if it takes place, you know who you heard it from first!
1) The main male character in both movies has a lame job in the same field. Shaun sells electronics in retail. Michael sells TVs at Best Buy.
2) Demonstrably from #1, both Shaun and Michael are geeks.
3) While unassuming and disrespected in conventional times, both Shaun and Michael are turned to and regarded as leaders by near strangers in times of great need (eg. killer zombie attacks).
4) Both Shaun and Michael kick ass.
5) There is no #5.
I read something someone wrote a long time ago about how ex-cop Steven Bochco single-handedly made being a lawyer (and to a lesser degree, a cop) cool. Writer/producer and Harvard Medical School grad Michael Crichton gave doctors another starring turn with E.R. in '94. For more recent evidence, consider how many people (including Britney Spears, for god's sake) are suddenly interesting in becoming forensic investigators. Thank you CSI.
Now consider a pet theory of mine that hasn't quite taken off yet. Computer geeks = the new cool. Improbable? With movies like Hackers, Sneakers, The Net and Operation: Swordfish it seems like it's only a matter of time. What I'm not sure of, exactly, is how to cash in on this...
On the relationship end of the spectrum, cashing in on geeks seems to be all the rage lately. See this article in the NYTimes:
When [Christina] Aguilera announced her engagement to smarty-pants music executive Jordan Bratman in February, the 24-year-old pop star demonstrated a tried-and-true dating trick. Geeks have got the goods.
"A nerd is an excellent provider and a guy who puts you first," says E. Jean Carroll, Elle magazine's love and sex advice columnist. "He'll turn out to be a great father and a great husband."
And, she insists that a woman who is willing to stick it out with a nerd and get past his quirks will be handsomely rewarded. "Don't give up on him too fast," she said. "If you stick with him, he's going to turn out to be really great."
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/317296p-271224c.html
Yeah, I'm writing this more because it's amusing in that forum post sort of way than anything - I owe most of my geekdom to a really excellent memory than anything else - but if it takes place, you know who you heard it from first!
Facebook
Twitter