2009 GF5 Tournament FINALS: The Beatles vs. Star Wars
by E. Christopher Clark | Friday, April 10, 2009
It’s been a little less than a month since we first announced the participants in the Geek Force Five Tournament, and now, ladies and gentlemen, it all comes down to this: The Beatles versus Star Wars.
For the generation that came of age in the 1960s, I don’t think there is any icon of popular culture that will ever top The Beatles. And, for the generation that came of age in the late 1970s, I think the same can be said for Star Wars. The thing that makes these forces of geekdom and popular culture all the more impressive, however, is that they not only shaped the time during which they were active and vital—they also forever shaped the art forms of which they were a part.
How do you decide between The Beatles and Star Wars, unless you’re one of those few who think that one or either of these things is highly overrated? I don’t know. I was born in 1977, the same year that the original Star Wars film debuted, and so I have a closer relationship with the films than I do with the band they are competing against. But how can anyone, even me, deny the cultural impact of the Fab Four?
It’s time to make up our minds. Vote now, and vote as often as you’d like. The polls close at 10 pm EDT tonight and, after that, a winner will finally be crowned.
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Comments
Brendan says:
Wow! Holy Baby Brain, Batman. How did I miss that the Beatles won? Ignore the above post, I’m an idiot.
Still, though, vote SW!
E. Christopher Clark says:
I think you’re test for determining who’s a geek is pretty good, though I suppose there are some people out there who haven’t seen Star Wars and who don’t have an opinion on it. What do we do about them? I distinctly remember that, when I asked my class if they’d seen Star Wars, there were some kids who I’d definitely classify as geeks who did not raise their hands.
Brendan says:
And Apple vs. Star Wars it is!
Now, c’mon everybody. give your props to Star Wars. It’s been giving geeks a home and common ground for over 30 years. Want to know if someone’s a geek, but you’re not sure how? Strike up a conversation about Star Wars and drop in an obscure reference at some point. If they get it or seem really interested in you explaining what you’re talking about, odds are good you’ve found a fellow geek. It’s mainstream enough that everybody knows it but still caters to us geeks. It’s the complete package!
And you know Steve Jobs is into it. He was provably talking Star Wars while he worked on one of his early computers.
‘B’