Both in terms of the kind of content you found there, and the type of people that posted it?
Because in the old days, it felt almost like a refuge for the unpopular and slightly crazy people. Internet forums were filled with 'interesting' personalities that either took everything far too seriously or goofed off in the most ridiculous ways, creative works posted online looked somewhat 'cheap' most of the time, and expectations for things like videos and websites were basically somewhere below the floor; if it wasn't recorded on a potato and didn't literally burn your eyes out, it'd probably find something of an audience.
And to me there was a level of charm there. Yes, most people sucked at the things they wanted to do. Yes, most fan fic was barely comprehensible, most cosplay was clearly done on the cheap and most fan games were amateurishly made at best. But you can tell there was an effort there. Perhaps a misguided one sure, but an earnest effort from someone that had way more ambition than skill and was willing to give it a go regardless.
Plus as someone who was themselves awkward and socially lacking, it felt nice knowing there were communities where I'd fit in. Communities where the people who I didn't get along with in school were nowhere to be seen, and where everyone was in a similar boat.
Nowadays? It feels like expectations for anything you post online are ridiculously high, so anyone who doesn't want their hobby to take up their entire life will just be drowned out by the folks doing it at a near professional level. And the popular kids on social media are the same ones who'd be popular in real life too, with a lot of them being somewhat boring 'normies' posting vapid but easily understandable stuff and getting millions of views for it. It just feels like the internet has gone from a place where the weirdos mess around and post without a care in the world to a non stop virtual equivalent of an American TV high school.
Anyone else feel similarly?
Because in the old days, it felt almost like a refuge for the unpopular and slightly crazy people. Internet forums were filled with 'interesting' personalities that either took everything far too seriously or goofed off in the most ridiculous ways, creative works posted online looked somewhat 'cheap' most of the time, and expectations for things like videos and websites were basically somewhere below the floor; if it wasn't recorded on a potato and didn't literally burn your eyes out, it'd probably find something of an audience.
And to me there was a level of charm there. Yes, most people sucked at the things they wanted to do. Yes, most fan fic was barely comprehensible, most cosplay was clearly done on the cheap and most fan games were amateurishly made at best. But you can tell there was an effort there. Perhaps a misguided one sure, but an earnest effort from someone that had way more ambition than skill and was willing to give it a go regardless.
Plus as someone who was themselves awkward and socially lacking, it felt nice knowing there were communities where I'd fit in. Communities where the people who I didn't get along with in school were nowhere to be seen, and where everyone was in a similar boat.
Nowadays? It feels like expectations for anything you post online are ridiculously high, so anyone who doesn't want their hobby to take up their entire life will just be drowned out by the folks doing it at a near professional level. And the popular kids on social media are the same ones who'd be popular in real life too, with a lot of them being somewhat boring 'normies' posting vapid but easily understandable stuff and getting millions of views for it. It just feels like the internet has gone from a place where the weirdos mess around and post without a care in the world to a non stop virtual equivalent of an American TV high school.
Anyone else feel similarly?
