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The Illusory Battle for Nerd Cred: A Closer Look at Modern "Tourist" Wars

The Rise of the "Tourist" Insult in Nerd and Geek Culture

In recent months, a strange phenomenon has engulfed social media, particularly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). A wave of users, self-styled gatekeepers of "authentic" fandom, are aggressively calling out fellow fans, creators, and industry veterans as tourists. The term, initially meant to imply someone unfamiliar or casual about a particular hobby, has been weaponized to diminish and dismiss anyone who doesn't fit their narrow definition of "original" or "true" fan.