Techno Viking as a character is alive representation of the Urban Myths, electronic version.
Legend also says that Technoviking was simply a common man who never wanted to be famous. But the Internet and the latest technologies have been responsible for making him a viral character.
Before the internet, also known as Urban legends, were and still are the contemporary evolution of what some historians, anthropologists, and sociologists call the oral tradition. That is to say, stories passed down from generation to generation, which could be real, fantastic, or a combination of both, used to keep history alive, reaffirm beliefs, educate, indoctrinate, sanctify, glorify, demonize, condemn, etc.
Now the myths are transmitted on the Internet. The era of digital information has brought on one side the massive diffusion of knowledge, but on the other, the standardization of the "fake". Differentiating the truth from the lie is difficult in many cases.
What we know (or think we know) about Techno Viking
Berlin, July 8, 2000. In the German capital the Love parede, massive electronic music parade and festival, whose first edition dates from 1989, days before the fall of the wall that divided the city in two. The purpose of the event was to gather in the streets as many people as possible to take communion in favor of Peace and Love, using music as a conducting vehicle.
At the same time, the same day, in another area of the city, el fuck wall, a rebellious version that emerged in 1997 with the idea of recover the original spirit of Love Walle, which, according to its organizers, had lost its essence in the hands of the crudest capitalism.
Matthias Fritsh, a German artist, documented with his camera what was happening at the festival. It is the time when someone approaches a girl with blue hair, and seems to annoy her or make her uncomfortable. But a kind of protective hero comes into action, as if coming from the pages of MARVEL comics, and had his inquisitor finger as a weapon.
Before the camera is presented a man with the image of a lumberjack, a naked torso and a fierce and intimidating appearance.
This Viking, with perfectly defined musculature, caught the attention of the artist and the action.
To dance!
The Berlin version of Thor would then begin with a frantic dance, full of stylized and synchronized movements. The contrast between his rhythmic steps and his alpha male bearing would forge his fame ... Or was it something else?
Because that often happens with what becomes popular on the internet: although things seem to have an explanation, in the end nobody knows what the "secret component" of virtual success is.
Fritsh shared the video with the world in 2001 through his personal website and in 2006 uploaded it to his YouTube channel. It would not be until 2007 that his anonymous dancer would rise to stardom.
Memes, action toys, underpants ... A legend.
The versions that explain the meteoric rise of Kneecam N ° 1 (original title of Fritsh video) are different.
What matters are the 16 million views the video would reach until it was removed from the network, the imprecise number of versions and remixes of the original clip and the handful merchandising products, including an action figure type G.I. Joe, flannels and even allegorical briefs.
But the biggest impact of El Vikingo del Techno was its mutation to meme, as much or more important than the viralization of your video, in terms of mass cultural product.
Just when social networks were established as the great means of communication on a global scale, and with memes claiming a privileged position within the informational cocktail, Thecnoviking would become one of the first real images (a man of flesh and blood, not a caricature) to become "Meme Star ”.
Who is the dancer that captivates the masses?
The myths and legends surrounding the identity of the tough dancer quickly spread: no one knew who he was, but many claimed to have seen him. He was a wrestler, also a contestant on a reality show, a man obsessed with sculpting his figure in the gym and who would also start to upload videos of your body work just like a youtuber… However, it turned out that it had nothing to do with any of those roles.
His body would become the symbol of male envy and the object of desire of many and many. It would begin to speculate on whether achieving such a defined and well-worked muscle was possible only with exercises, without resorting to the use of steroids, anabolics and other substances.
Many claimed that the Technoviking's body was the rmaximum representation of male beauty, precisely because it is natural, without artifice, without tricks, no oils to make skin glow, no Photoshop.
And the Techno Viking appeared
In 2013, when many knew the character, but with the euphoria quite appeased, El Vikingo del Techno in person (rather through his lawyers), would take legal action, with claims for the use of your image, without authorization, for commercial purposes.
I would also claim privacy violation. Matthias Fritsh, who had made a name for himself in certain German intellectual circles, was the defendant. Technoviking would be news again, the memes would return with their inquisitor index and visits on YouTube.
Justice gave him the reason: his rights had been violated, so he had right to compensation. Fritsh, who had stated several times that he uploaded the video only with artistic interest and never with commercial intentions, had to pay around 23.000 Euros between attorneys' expenses and the compensation imposed for the damages caused. In addition, he had to withdraw his Kneecam N ° 1.
The paradox of it all is that it is enough to ban something on the internet to make it go viral even mores. To this day, Technoviking videos and memes are ubiquitous, without anyone being able to do anything to prevent it.
Fritsh would also reach the degree of legend with all the legal mess and even would premiere in 2015 a documentary, where he gives his version of the rise of one of the most important viral phenomena of the last decade.
Image Sources: WIRED Germany / One Sixth Warriors