(Or are at least beginning to take over it)

A comic book movie got all kinds of awards and critical acclaim.
The Dark Knight didn’t just get all kinds of buzz because its best actor died soon after filming. It was a genuinely awesome movie. And it’s based on a comic book from the 1940s, a cartoon series from the 90s, and a series of marginally-bugeted movies thereafter. This one’s the real deal, though. It’s a real movie with amazing writing, great acting, and a gritty, realistic story. Who expects THAT from a movie you can watch while wearing a costume?

A dorky science fiction franchise got a makeover with a big Hollywood director and hot Hollywood actors.
Star Trek directed by J. J. Abrams? With a cameo appearance from the Cloverfield monster? I’m freakin’ THERE!! A new generation fell in love with the adorably unrealistic and strangely fun franchise of “look-how-cool-this-technology-is” that is STAR TREK. Despite the fact that everything in the movie besides warp flight itself is possible if not already happening with today’s technology. Plus our computers are pretty much already better. Spock is cool, though.

Weird Al’s “White N’ Nerdy” hit the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10.
A song the sole purpose of which is to glorify geekdom reached #9 on the US charts. I even had a White N’ Nerdy ringtone. Yeah, I can be a bandwagon-jumper.

Twitter, and Facebook are wildly, inexplicably popular.
Even if you severely lack the cognitive capacity to post interesting or noteworthy things (as a large majority do), It’s still something of a status symbol to have connections to a popular social networking site. People are connecting to one another more and more through nerdy means.

Your Grandma plays Nintendo.
Seriously, who saw that one coming? You now get beaten at Wii Bowling by your grandmother, or have a higher Wii Fit age than your mom. You played Nintendo FIRST, though. And they all made fun of you. Well, who’s laughing now?

The iPhone, Blackberrys and other Smart Phones.
Remember when cell phones were a big thing? Like, physically BIG PLASTIC BRICKS…but also a rare thing that only politicians and the president had. I remember when my dad got a cell phone with a hideously wrinkly, frayed leather case. It was so awesome.

Yeah, well, now you can contact anyone in the world, triangulate your location on aerial maps via SATELLITES in SPACE, and access a world wide public, shared computing network known as The Interwebs all on a device smaller than you wallet. And people line up around the block several times all over the world to purchase this device. Geeks are taking over, and it is undoubtedly the future.

Screw flying cars, you have an LG Voyager.

Buddy Holly glasses are HOT.
The typical, obvious nerd glasses. I really like them. I’m contemplating purchasing a pair for my own vision correction needs. Why are they so big right now? They look kinda ridiculous. Why do we love them so much? Weezer isn’t that much of a pop culture icon, and 1950s scientists aren’t coming back with THAT much force, are they?

When Half Life first came out, I suppose Dr. Gordon Freeman’s look was meant to be a dorky scientist with little style and messy hair. Now he’s actually quite well put-together. Short, messy hair, horn-rimmed glasses, a cool beard, a crowbar for killing zombies… what’s not to love, ladies? Also he’s a rich scientist with a doctorate in theoretical physics. And computer-generated.

Intelligence is finally cool. It’s about damn time.