Geek culture is strongly linked these days to brands, commercialism and cash. Apple, Wizards of the Coast, Star Wars, LEGO, Marvel, Pixar (and the list goes on) are all brands that link very strongly with any geek's sense of belonging and meaning. They also, consequently, get a lot of our hard-earned cash.
We live in a highly commercialized world, and money helps make it go 'round. But, how much does geek culture need brands and how much do the brands need us geeks? What is the relationship like and are we being charged excessively for our passionate fandom and connection to brands like LEGO and Apple? How do we define our geekiness without these brands? And, how do we foster our children without overemphasizing the importance of having the new release LEGO or movie-associated merchandise.
I do not claim to have clear answers. I am not arguing that we should be able to get the 4th edition D&D books for just $10. And, I'm not sure that there are any easy answers. This post is more about the questions that we need to keep asking, that I think are too often ignored by us, especially as we introduce our children to this geek culture and consequently, these brands.
I've been thinking about the relationship between geek culture and the commercial world since I co-authored a book "Adproofing Your Kids" last year. "Adproofing" is an exploration of media literacy. It was written to help parents undertake that difficult job of "parenting the media". The book builds on research that identifies how our children's need for belonging, autonomy and meaning is manipulated by companies using media and advertising to improve sales and increase profits. The book provides tips from parents and professionals about what we can do to give our children a sense of belonging and meaning not built on brands, but built on our values and beliefs.
It was in a recent GeekDad podcast that I was reminded of these questions and issues because, as the only Australia GeekDad contributor, I had to ask what Pax East was. (Note: GeekDad will have a panel discussion at the upcoming Pax East) I loved the way my fellow GeekDads explained with joy the fact that this wasn't like your usual conventions. It was geek culture by the people and for people. A lot more lo-fi you could say. And less ads. They explained it was more about ideas and doing things and geek culture, than trying to shift units or sell a new movie. And that made me smile.
I see this culture upheld in the diversity of posts that come from our GeekDad contributors and their commitment to critical thinking and supporting it in their children. In the Pax East panel discussion they will be addressing questions like: How young is too young for The Hobbit? What should my kids' first LEGO set be? When should I buy my kids their first non-six-sided dice?
A little tongue in cheek, but I know they'll also happily discuss ideas about how much we should invest in terms of money raising our geeklets, and how much we should invest in our time, our knowledge and our love.
There is content on this site that is about supporting independent geek artists and creators. We post about websites where people are sharing their fandom for movies, characters or comics in a low budget way. There are posts about free role playing tools and free web-based games that are educational and support our kids learning. GeekDad writers address issues like racism, environmentalism and technology in ways that are geeky, intelligent, thought provoking but not disparaging or rude or over-the-top.
I think this aspect of geek culture is fostered by GeekDad and must continue to be fostered. We must keep check on ourselves and not become too evangelical about the brands and commercial enterprises that help define and create geek culture. Ultimately, we are the ones who put those companies there in the first place.
Of course, let us value the role the creators of our favorite toys, comics, movies and characters have on our lives. Let us applaud and congratulate them on their innovation and their success. But, let us not make that the center of our geek culture.
Let us not just show our children the movies, but open up old technology with a screwdriver and have a look inside it with them. Let us build a generation of geeks who are, like us, critical thinkers. Children who engage with the world around them and see the value of the screen as a tool, and the value of building things with their hands in the back yard and of staring up at the night sky in awe.
