This thread notes the decline of horse girls and car guys - (it's gender roles too, but) maybe everything is just online now. Idk if toontown or minecraft or whatever perfectly replaces playing on a playground, but maybe? There is a sort of exploration, maybe not the same. There is a perception of in game risk without the risk of physical injury, but also without physical fitness benefits.
If thats the case then thats a tragedy. Third places online usually have like only a couple good years at best before they suffer from eternal summer or their owners enshittify the platform or shut down the game servers.
This thread notes the decline of horse girls and car guys - (it's gender roles too, but) maybe everything is just online now. Idk if toontown or minecraft or whatever perfectly replaces playing on a playground, but maybe? There is a sort of exploration, maybe not the same. There is a perception of in game risk without the risk of physical injury, but also without physical fitness benefits.