Blog by Dwayne Biddix-10/14/2007

BLOG FROM HARD WAY STUDIOS

4-9-2008 by Dwayne Biddix

Is it just me or is geek culture gaining ground in ‘mainstream’ society?

With video games, comics, and other forms of ‘geek’ entertainment becoming something that most people enjoy regardless of their status, I worry about what will happen in our culture. All too often when the alternative become mainstream the original power of the alternative becomes watered down and made basic to continue in the mainstream. Take music for example. Rock went from edgy counter-culture to using AC/DC in a car commercial. And now most music that is classified as rock is little more than pop music with more electric guitar riffs. Rap once was the voice of the streets, the sounds of the oppressed and the lower class, now it is a glam-ed out pop music like mess that the originators of rap would probably not even believe it is the same thing. Want proof? Listen to THE DOORS and then listen to Kid Rock. Listen to Public Enemy and then Soulja Boy. Music has lost the stream of consciousness. It has lost the soul that made it the burning fire it once was.

Now with comics and geek culture becoming the norm I fear that was as the culture will fade away under the spotlight and lose the heart of the people we are. Imagine a world were any hack that can make a game, draw a comic, or make a TV show becomes the new standard. We are a culture built on intelligence, creativity, and the desire to push the envelope. I hope we do not lose that. I ask anyone who is in any creative field to stay true to what we are. And teach the ones who follow us to stay true to the spirit of the world we are building. I am not against our culture going mainstream. I think it is great! I just want to make sure that we as the creators of that culture do not go mainstream. We need to always be just on the edge; because it is only on the edge can we see what is on the horizon.

So get out there and create! And if you are a fan of the geek culture always keep one hand into the alternative, that way the culture will always innovate and make bold new moves. If you do not support the independent sector then do not be surprised to see things like Miley Cyrus video games, comics, more TV shows and cds. If you buy the mediocre then the people who pay the bills will keep putting them out. Demand innovation. Demand creativity. Demand to see the next new thing. Support indy music, indy comics, watch the smarted TV shows, watch smarter movies and do not fall into thinking the bigger the budget, the better the product. You can help keep this culture alive! If we all work together then we can keep this culture from winding up on VH1’s “I Love Geek Culture!”

Then again maybe it’s just me…

Dwayne Biddix