(2016-09-01) Subcultures Arent Dead

Allgebrah: Subcultures aren't dead. I disagree with David Chapman's MOP theory (2015-05-29-ChapmanGeeksMopsAndSociopathsInSubcultureEvolution). Neither are subcultures dead, nor is their lifecycle that simple. The theory's xenophobia smells and is, in my experience, unjustified. (tldr: defends newbies, but doesn't address sociopath/dilution issue)

If I hadn't known Chapman, I would've taken it for the sort of eloquent but misinformed parting post that people who have grown out of a community often write. The kind that says "this community is dead" and that you sometimes look back on with a smile four years later when that same community is still going strong.

But I believe Chapman is neither stupid nor badly informed, so why is there such a large disconnect between our experiences?

The pattern exists, yes, but is far from all-encompassing, more a failure of integration than a biblical deluge to swallow those with the hubris to become popular.

Any community or subculture that wants to survive needs to acquire new members, and those to be integrated by older members. Failure of the former leads to stagnation and eventual heat death, failure of the latter leads to dilution.

Newbies are good for you - if you integrate them properly.

To counteract heat death, get new members and don't scare them off immediately. To counteract dilution, teach your newbies. If there are too many, either limit your intake or teach harder