Do you still see them as an ongoing social phenomenon, or as something of historical interest only (like the socioeconomic structure of feudal Norway, e.g. - important in it's time, in that in can be said that the lack of resources and economic opportunity set the stage for the rise to the Vikings, but truly who gives a flip nowadays?) ? 
Ha. No, historical only. Mind, more like the Vikings (an image still to be found everywhere, rather than your fun-loving Norwegians who gave rise to them.)
I guess the Vikings were The Beatles of the Rape-and-Pillage era. To wit:
First dark ages downtrodden peasant "'Ere, who would you rather be done in by - a Viking or a Mongol?"
Second dark ages downtrodden peasant "We were talking about this in the pub the other day. Definately The Vikings."
First DADTP: "Ow's that then?"
Second DADTP: "It's the hats. Love the horns. And they started it all didn't they."
First DADTP "Actually, Old Brian Big Ears was saying the horn-on-the-hats thing is a myth."
Second DADTP "f*** off! What would he know?"
First DADTP "Exactly. Apparantly he's a Barbary Pirates man."
Second DADTP "Barbary Pirates! f*** off! Not even in the top five. Anyways, ain't they more your Renaissance Marauder era types?"
First DADTP: "Well technically..."
