Welcome to the 21st century — a place where your toaster might talk back, your meme might start a movement, and your roommate might be a chatbot named Kevin who won’t do the dishes. In this episode, we explore the minds that transformed collaboration from something done in boardrooms to something done in pajamas, across time zones, through fiber optics, and sometimes with emojis.
Let’s meet the pixel pioneers and meme magicians of the 2000s.
Linus Torvalds (1969– )
- What is he known for? Creator of the Linux kernel and Git.
- Impact on society? Without Linus, your Android phone would be crying in a corner, and GitHub would be a ghost town. His software underpins everything from supercomputers to smart TVs.
- Awards? Millennium Technology Prize, IEEE Computer Pioneer Award.
- Financial success? Comfortable, not Bezos-level. Open source is great for karma, not yachts.
- Fame during lifetime? Yes, he’s a tech world rockstar — just one who wears T-shirts instead of leather.
- Collaborations? His entire career is a masterclass in mass collaboration.
- Famous art? Unless you count the Linux penguin mascot.
- Inventions? Git, which developers worship more devoutly than caffeine.
- Subject of art? Some memes and hacker zines, probably.
- Other tidbits? In a 2012 Q&A session at Aalto University, Torvalds famously gave NVIDIA the middle finger and said “NVIDIA, f*** you!” due to frustrations over Linux support. Watch it here.
Jack Conte (1984– )
- What is he known for? Co-founder of Patreon and one-half of the musical duo Pomplamoose.
- Impact on society? Jack reinvented the way creators get paid. Patreon became the go-to platform for artists, writers, podcasters, and animators to earn sustainable income directly from their audiences — no corporate gatekeepers, no ads interrupting the vibe.
- Awards? Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list (back when he was under 30), and frequently cited as one of the most influential voices in the creator economy.
- Financial success? Yes, but he didn’t start rich — he built a business so artists wouldn’t have to starve to be called “real.”
- Fame during lifetime? Cult fame, then platform-founder fame. Every YouTuber with a “Support me on Patreon” link owes him at least a virtual hug.
- Collaborations? Worked with his wife Nataly Dawn in Pomplamoose, and helped launch careers across YouTube and beyond.
- Famous art? Pomplamoose’s music videos are visually inventive — shot entirely in split screens and clever loops.
- Inventions? Patreon itself. Not exactly a gadget, but definitely a world-changing model.
- Subject of art? Occasionally referenced in creator memes and tributes.
- Other tidbits? His TED Talk on creative risk and burnout should be required viewing for anyone who thinks viral fame solves everything.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (1981– )
- Known for? Being a global music and cultural icon.
- Impact? Redefined music distribution, feminism in pop culture, and what it means to “drop an album.”
- Awards? Grammy museum needs an annex just for her.
- Financial success? Queen Bey lives in a castle made of platinum records and power moves.
- Fame during lifetime? Destiny’s Child started it. “Lemonade” made her a legend.
- Collaborations? With nearly every major musical artist, and married to Jay-Z.
- Famous art? Her visual albums are art exhibits with beats.
- Inventions? Invented the concept of “surprise album drop” as a global holiday.
- Subject of art? Yes — murals, tributes, and probably a few college theses.
- Other tidbits? Once turned a Super Bowl halftime show into a political statement. No big deal.
Aaron Swartz (1986–2013)
- Known for? Co-founding Reddit, creating RSS 1.0, and championing open access.
- Impact? Inspired a generation of digital activists and technologists.
- Awards? Posthumous honors and continued admiration in hacker and academic communities.
- Financial success? Not the focus. His mission was access to knowledge, not Lambos.
- Fame during lifetime? Within tech and legal circles, yes. Broader fame followed after his tragic death.
- Collaborations? Worked with Lawrence Lessig and the Creative Commons.
- Famous art? His writing and activism are considered cultural artifacts.
- Inventions? Besides RSS, he helped shape Creative Commons and Open Library.
- Subject of art? The documentary “The Internet’s Own Boy” is a tribute.
- Other tidbits? His legal battle sparked global debates on information freedom.
Ai Weiwei (1957– )
- Known for? Provocative contemporary art and fearless political activism.
- Impact? Made the art world confront censorship, freedom, and surveillance.
- Awards? Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience, among others.
- Financial success? Significant in the art world.
- Fame during lifetime? Absolutely. Exhibited globally and constantly in the headlines.
- Collaborations? Helped design the Beijing Olympic Stadium.
- Famous art? “Sunflower Seeds,” “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn,” and installations that make governments sweat.
- Inventions? Invented new ways to troll authoritarianism with porcelain.
- Subject of art? His own selfies are part of the art.
- Other tidbits? Once livestreamed his surveillance. If Big Brother is watching, he watched back.
Greta Thunberg (2003– )
- Known for? Sparking a global youth movement for climate action.
- Impact? Got world leaders to actually pause and say, “Oh no, the kids are mad.”
- Awards? Time Person of the Year, Right Livelihood Award, honorary doctorates.
- Financial success? Doesn’t monetize activism. Practices what she preaches.
- Fame during lifetime? Instantly. Gave more TED talks before 18 than most give in a lifetime.
- Collaborations? Worked with scientists, NGOs, and the UN.
- Famous art? Banksy and others have immortalized her.
- Inventions? School strike as a global campaign.
- Subject of art? Street murals to editorial cartoons.
- Other tidbits? Sailed across the Atlantic to avoid flying. Hardcore.
Epilogue: Genius Goes Viral The 2000s taught us that collaboration isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the new electricity. From code written by strangers in different hemispheres to songs remixed by fans overnight, the era redefined what it means to be a “creator.”
If you’re joining us mid-series, don’t worry — catch the whirlwind that started it all in The Creators Series: A Lightning Tour of History’s Greatest Geniuses (Medium) or on the blog. And follow for more — your comments are as valuable as Linus’s kernel commits.
Art Prompt: A cubist urban scene fractured into dynamic geometric forms, with intersecting planes and bold, angular lines depicting bustling city life. The color palette swings between muted browns, sharp blacks, and electric blues. Light and shadow dance in rhythmic dissonance, giving the composition a sense of compressed movement. Faces and buildings blur together, reassembled in a distorted but expressive harmony, evoking the feverish pace of modern existence.
Video Prompt: Open with sharp, angular cuts mimicking cubist fragmentation. The camera glides through a stylized digital cityscape, shifting perspectives abruptly while jazz-like bursts of music add energy. Show overlapping figures breaking apart and reforming as they walk. Intercut light flashes, abstract shapes, and pulsing outlines in sync with each beat. End on a spinning cubist skyline folding into itself like origami. Perfect for a snappy, artistic TikTok reel.