>>17262197Nerds back then were a different breed. I was born in the late 80s so I sort of witnessed those last young adult and middle aged hobbyists who were born in the 40s-70s. They were just more socialized and went outside more. Most of them were in a relationship and made decent money. The hobbies themselves were essentially pure, casuals were a minority. Nerd girls were beautiful unicorns because they tended to be genuinely serious about the activity. Conventions were grassroots and works tended to have more creator influence.
The reason for all of this is down to technological and economic factors.
>People back then went outside more>Socialization was limited to physical factors>Media and information was extremely limited because everything required a physical copy or was subject to a broadcast schedule>Hobbies tended to demand more skill and dedication>Corporate powers were not nearly as involved>Today's world is poorer and opportunity rarerWhat it means is that back then it was simply much more difficult to sit at home all day (delivery was limited to pizza), to not have any friends and to be economically paralyzed by the cost of living. It was much easier to start up a business and produce a work on your own terms. Education was cheaper and the quality of instruction higher. When people went outside the home, they were gone. There was no GPS. No Google. Everyone was just more independent both mentally and physically. They had to be.
