• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, May 2, 2016

According to a new study by Imgur with YPulse, being a “geek” is now a positive thing. Not only are they NOT referred to as a “… nerdy person with no athletic ability or personal style, with little personality but tons of smarts” by Boomers, or “… not confident, Educated, Nerdy, Unattractive, Unrelatable, Socially awkward, or Esoteric” by GenXrs, but rather “… trendsetters behind pop culture manias and online viral content; today’s geeks are tastemakers” by Millennials.

While previous generations saw the geek label as feeling they had to hide their geekier interests, Millennials have embraced being geeks. They’re more likely than Xers and Boomers to call themselves geeks or say they are into geeky things, and older generations are far more likely to say they don’t consider themselves geeks at all. Xers and Boomers might have been embarrassed by geekdom, but that attitude has changed drastically, says the report.

Just as Millennials influenced and shaped mainstream culture, they too have transformed what it means to be a geek, and have inspired millions more to embrace the term, says the report. Geek is now defined as being incredibly passionate about your interests, even when those interests are unpopular.

Steve Patrizi, VP Marketing & Revenue, says that “… the study… casts a spotlight on how big, how influential, and how important this group is…  to any business who wants to be relevant in the years ahead…,” and a female, non-geek says “…Geek means someone that has an over-the-top interest in something… like a science geek… when you refer to someone as a geek… you can expect this person to be somewhat of an expert on the topic…”

As Millennials have influenced and shaped mainstream culture, they too have transformed what it means to be a geek, and have inspired millions more to embrace the term. Geek is now defined as being incredibly passionate about your interests, even when those interests are unpopular.

Being a “geek” is a positive thing for millennials:

• 12% of millennials (12%) do not consider themselves geeks at all. Being a geek today doesn’t mean what it used to. Eighty-two percent of millennial geeks say the geek label isn’t a bad thing, which is notably different attitude than older generations
• Only 38% of Xers and Boomers consider themselves geeks or admit to their geeky interests. While previous generations saw the geek label as an insult, millennials have embraced being geeks, and geekdom is cool.

Millennial geeks are more prolific and influential:

• There are 83 million Millennials in the U.S. and 60% qualify as a geek and 23% are self-proclaimed hardcore geeks
• Today’s geeks are tastemakers who learn things first and push them forward: 82% say their interests grow in popularity, and 89% learn about things before the rest of their friends
• These are the trendsetters behind pop culture obsessions and viral content online: 40% of geeks say they have created a gif, video related to their interest
• 49% say they spread memes, 67% say they know about things before they go viral , and 84% say people look to them for advice on a topic

Geeks are extremely hard to reach, says the report:

• Geeks are more likely than non-geeks to use ad-blockers, with 76% saying they have used one, and are more likely to say they’ve never seen an ad that they like.
• 32% of geeks feel as though brands cannot relate to them. Geeks rely most heavily on online communities for discovery, learning and decision-making.
• When asked about learning more about interests, searching for new things, or making a decision, 49% of geeks say online communities are their top resource

The majority of Millennials don’t just think being a geek is not a bad thing, says the report, they think being a geek is a something to be proud of. It has become cool to be a geek. Thanks to young consumers’ shifting attitude toward geekiness, the entertainment and interests that were once considered just geeky, like superheroes, fantasy, and space, have become huge cultural hot topics, and major money makers.

If the things geeks were into ten years ago are massively popular now, what they’re into today could be the next big thing for years to come, opines the report. Millennial Geeks are more likely to have unique interests compared to non-geeks, concludes the report. They’re more likely to spot trends before the rest of their peers, and they’re more likely to see things grow in popularity after being interested in them first. Millennial Geeks are cultural influencers and behind the web’s most viral content.