At some point in our lives, typically when we were younger, we had a weird or nerdy interest. Whether it be Minecraft, anime, comics, books, it was probably something you wanted to hide.

But nowadays, it’s seen as too ‘mainstream’. Minecraft is too popular, watching anime is too common, comics are for everyone and reading books is normal. It seems as if nothing is niche enough for some people online.

If you’re someone who uses social media a lot, you might see a trend surfacing where not being interested in popular things makes you cooler or more nerdy than others, which is ironic, considering being nerdy is something we used to be ashamed about.

So now, if you have an interest in something too popular, it’s a problem. People that used to get bullied for having nerdy interests will get upset with you for considering yourself a nerd if your interests or hobbies are too general or even too acceptable by society.

Some people are even losing the original meaning of the word niche, making it seem like you’re not allowed to enjoy anything without it being too known.

But there’s a little positivity in it too, such as the way people feel comfort in a certain topic that not a lot of their peers can relate to. These interests can provide a deep connection to someone or help them find their identity.

Except it’s not okay to make someone feel ashamed or embarrassed for having an interest that is popular like many mainstream games such as Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, Call of Duty, etc.

Yes, it may make you look cooler or more interesting for being more engrossed in the realms of the internet than the next person, but making it a trend to seem better than someone is harmful.

Next time if someone tells you about an interest they think makes them ‘niche’, don’t embarrass them, just relate.