The Future is Geek
Our society is changing. There is very little denying that around the world, people are tired of the current status quo. Working-class people are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer, and it feels more and more like we’re living in a science fiction dystopia with every new instance of “breaking news”. For better or worse, we are living in an epoch of transformation, and as with all forms of growth, pain is involved.
I have a strong suspicion that all of these challenges we face as a species are the last step into moving, as a race, into the next great phase of human existence. So many science fiction stories have predicted exactly what our futures could, can, and will look like, depending on the choices we make as people.
The lofty, honorable, and curiosity-driven values of Star Trek show us that humanity is capable of setting aside its differences in pursuit of something greater, that we can choose to boldly go where no human has gone before. Firefly demonstrates that rugged determination, drive, family of choice, and the pursuit of freedom can come at the cost of wealth, fame, or comfort, but that in the end, those things are far more precious than any amount of credit or standing. Star Wars depicts, time and again, that no matter how impossible it may feel, no matter how deep the roots of oppression may dig, that a rag tag bunch of rebels can topple even the mightiest empire.
As people, we write, act, paint, sing, play, and perform our way through life, but we also us these tools to lay the groundwork for the futures we want to create. It is our passion as humans that drive the course of the world we live in, it is the things we “Geek Out” about that stay with us for generations to come.
Being a geek used to mean being isolated, rejected, often ridiculed, or bullied; it used to mean being inherently unattractive as a partner, and only suited for certain areas of work. Most people know the term geek used to be an insult, but I believe that today, being a geek means seeing a future that isn’t bound by the limitations of the past. Most geeks are very self-aware, far more (in my anecdotal experience, anyway) than the average person, in large part because so much of Geek Culture is rooted in the modeling and exploration of various human values.
In the same ways that Geek media depicts the potential beauties and wonders of our infinite paths forward as a planet, it also highlights the worst parts of us as people.
Alien is known for being one of the first true feminist films, showing a woman in a leading role who is more than an object of sexual desire or a subservient figure in a story. Yet, even while shaping the future of womanhood in media, Alien also showed us what a society built on unfettered capitalism and corporate greed will look like: dark, tragic, a place where the value of human life is negligible in the face of profit. Star Wars shows us the high virtues of the gallant Jedi Knights, but it also explores the dark and twisted nature of manipulation, systems designed to inflict trauma, and the suffering of loss and grief. Halo is the story of tenacity and the unbreakable will of the human being trying to survive, and yet, it is also the story of religious zealotry and intolerance unleashing devastation on the galaxy.
Geek Therapy, at its core, is the utilization of a person’s passions and values to help them navigate the journey of healing. Everyone is driven by the desires, goals, dreams, and ideas of the supposed “better tomorrow”. This unique, one might even say futuristic modality of therapy finds its true source of strength by tapping into those passions, those lofty ideas and the visions for the future that make the world seem just a bit brighter. Conversely, the source of growth, healing, and well-being that stems from Geek Therapy is the modality’s unique ability to hold our goals high, while still working in the dirt with the dark realities of our lives.
Ripley only survives because she is unwilling to give up and continues to prioritize life and survival in the overwhelming odds of death. Luke Skywalker only becomes a Jedi Master by accepting the truth of his father, Darth Vader, and forgiving him, despite knowing it may not matter. The crew of the Firefly’s Serenity maintain their freedom, family, and sense of livelihood, but they do it on the edge of society, outcast by those who believe conformity, wealth, and status have more merit than creativity, choice, and autonomy.
In the same manner, we Geek Therapists use our client’s passions, values, and dreams to help them face the Darkside, whatever that may look like for them. We help our clients out last the Xenomorph of trauma. We teach our clients to resist assimilation and fight back against the evil empires of Depression and Anxiety, even if we know the fight will be grueling. Geek Therapy teaches us that it is only through facing, exploring, and challenging our darkest natures that we level up into the heroes that hold those goals and dreams fast against the coming storms. Whatever tribulations are to come in the vast unknowable wibbly wobbly time and space between now and the myriad possible futures we may choose, there is one element I am almost certain is a fixed point on the timeline:
The Future is Geek