I love discovering new communities, but I hate being greeted with condescending shit, intended or not.

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My friends and family have helped introduce me to several communities, from Atkins to natural hair to D&D. It’s fascinating to enter a new group with its own terminology, attitude, etc. But often communities look down on people that are new. Almost on some hipster shit

Most recently, I’m seeing this with minimalism. I’m intrigued by the idea of owning less stuff, but some of the more popular folks make you feel like a piece of shit for keeping ANYTHING. There has to be a middle ground that helps folks at different points of their journey

this happens within my overlapping communities of STEM education and gaming as well. Gamers in particular have an awful reputation for looking down on new folks that ask reasonable questions. I’m sure I’ve done it too. Sometimes it can just be body language that gives it away

I need to search for some published studies out there that talk about this seemingly human need to put others down that show interest in things that you like. I’ve seen it in almost every community I’ve been in.