Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths in subculture evolution

Subcultures have stopped working as a creative force, according to the author, because mass popularity brings in "muggles" who destroy them. The article describes a lifecycle in which a scene of creators and fanatics, or "geeks," attracts "mops," casual fans who dilute the culture, and then "sociopaths," who exploit the remaining social, cultural and monetary capital. It argues that geeks need some of the sociopaths' tactics, a stance the author calls "be slightly evil," and that the subcultural mode mostly ended around 2000.