slack-imgs.com

Socially inept.

Poor Hygiene.

Caffeine/Red-Bull addict.

Tumbler glasses.

A few of the things that come to mind when we think about the people who build the platforms we’ve come to rely so heavily on in the 21st century. Before the turn of the millennium, these types were relegated to the fringes of society, little more than social outcasts – then came the tech bubble of the late 90s – early 2000s, and these socially awkward personalities had to adapt to a different way of life.

Out of their frat houses they came, into major tech and business conferences. From sitting behind their computer screens, to standing in front of thousands; from conversing in Klingon, and playing World of Warcraft; to explaining, eloquently, the solutions they’d designed, and how those solutions were going to change the world, as we know it.

We now live in a world, where geekiness has been glamorized, perhaps because the richest man in the world is/was one of such types. Those stereotypes enforced by the movies back in the day, no longer apply, because some of the best known programmers and tech geeks today, are also some of the most charismatic – people like Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel, Tesla’s Elon Musk, and Minecraft’s Marcus Persson.

Could it be that those outward characteristics have absolutely nothing to do with technical ability? Or the case is one of evolution and adaptation?

You tell me.

Photo Credit: Esther Vargas via Compfight cc

Osarumen Osamuyi Author

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