There’s been a pushback in the geek community about the “commodifying” of geek culture in recent years, which really seems to have begun with The Big Bang Theory, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe making it “cool to be a nerd.” I’ve seen a lot of sentiment (online, of course) that, because some people came to these hobbies or fandoms later in life, they didn’t have to go through the hardships of being an “outcast” for their interests.
People who say that are elitist, gatekeeping jerks. In what world is it bad for more people to like the things you enjoy? A bigger audience makes those hobbies more profitable, and more able to produce the content these people claim to enjoy. I’d much rather have more people wanting to play Dungeons & Dragons with me than have it be some super exclusive club that only people who have memorized entire rulebooks can enjoy. I’m one of those people, and I’ll teach a new and enthusiastic player over associating with curmudgeons who feel ownership of a hobby any day.
Jeff was The Cascade's Editor in Chief for the latter half of 2022, having previously served as Digital Media Manager, Culture & Events Editor, and Opinion Editor. One time he held all three of those positions for a month, and he's not sure how he survived that. He started at The Cascade in 2016.
