I understand and sympathize. Many fandoms have averaged younger fans because material is so much easier and cheaper to access/obtain than before. Those fans who are in their mid-30's and older started off in far different circumstances. There were more older fans then (in comparison) because it used to cost more to get a hold of materials or even to share--anyone remember sending video-tapes through the mail b/c the internet didn't have the speed or capacity to distribute larger files?
The ratio is even further skewed towards younger fans because as jobs and family obligations take up more time, a lot of older folks put fandom on the back-burner. That hasn't changed, but because so many younger fans have come into all kinds of fandoms, the ratio of older/younger fans is much different than it was in the 1990's, or 80's or 70's.
Not saying that the influx of younger fans (and all the opportunities that faster, cheaper internet has allowed) is a bad thing! By no means! But it has changed fandom a great deal.
There may be "No right age for fandom", but it is awkward when you go to a convention and are constantly mistaken for someone's mom. :-P
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The ratio is even further skewed towards younger fans because as jobs and family obligations take up more time, a lot of older folks put fandom on the back-burner. That hasn't changed, but because so many younger fans have come into all kinds of fandoms, the ratio of older/younger fans is much different than it was in the 1990's, or 80's or 70's.
Not saying that the influx of younger fans (and all the opportunities that faster, cheaper internet has allowed) is a bad thing! By no means! But it has changed fandom a great deal.
There may be "No right age for fandom", but it is awkward when you go to a convention and are constantly mistaken for someone's mom. :-P