(Sheesh… This ended up being almost 3,000 words. I say this in the body of the piece, but let me reiterate something right here at the top so it’s not lost on anyone who reads this due to length. Some of my comments made here are directed at only a very specific part of fandom. You may prefer to identify yourself by a certain label I’m discussing below, but if you’re not doing the things I’m citing- I have no issue at all with you.)
Years ago… Well, actually it was decades ago, but typing “decades” makes me feel a lot older. Anyhow… Years ago, the world of Star Trek fandom started growing in leaps and bounds. Somewhere along the way it took over the focus of the pop culture spotlight occasionally used by those outside of fandom to peek into our culture and report on it to the masses. It was an interesting time in more ways than one. It was also a time that, when looking back on it, sometimes feels like talking about a different planet rather than just a different time.