On Inauguration Day last month, geeks nationwide celebrated the fact that a fellow nerd has finally taken office in the White House. After eight years of a seemingly limited intelligence representing our country, geeks all over are rejoicing in the presence of the new American president, and a new type of geek leading our nation.
Obama’s passion for technology and all things nerdy is no well-kept secret. In fact, Obama has admitted on several occasions that he used to collect comic books, is an avid Star Trek fanatic, and hates to be away from his beloved BlackBerry.
Obama’s outward signs of geekiness have many Americans pleased and excited as they anxiously await his next nerdy secret to unfold. Although he is known for his athleticism and love for basketball Obama can’t hide his true nerdiness. His long and technical explanations of complicated matters only solidify his intelligence and presence as a true geek.
Many people nationwide are hoping that Obama’s reputation as a geek will help change public sentiment on whether or not it is “cool” to be smart. Having such a powerful and charismatic role model advocating for intelligence and nerdiness could have a profound impact on the mindsets of today’s youth. Portraying intelligence in a cool manner is a great way to get children excited about learning, and provides a great means for jumpstarting education efforts among the nation’s poorest schools.
Throughout his campaign for presidency, Obama has remained strong in his preference for technology and geekiness. In fact, he even attempted to announce his selected candidate for vice president via text messaging to subscribers of his Web site, marking the first time ever that a candidate attempted to make the announcement via electronic means. Furthermore, Obama’s campaign relied heavily on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace in order to get the word out about his policies and campaign events.
Although the American public has traditionally looked down on members of the geek community, having a president who embraces the culture could have profound impacts on the way we view geeks today. It is certain that Obama’s love for intelligence and technology will aid his ability to be a tremendously positive role model for all of the country’s children, especially those of minority and disadvantaged backgrounds. Maybe having a Trekkie run the country won’t be such a bad situation after all!
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