As I was reading different reactions to the Scott Pilgrim film, I saw the usual exhaustion in comments at io9 (http://io9.com/5600262/scott-pilgrim-is-an-epic-for-the-nintendo-generation). Some people were annoyed, but there was also a sense by some that they were almost obligated to support a geeky film, even one that is a near geek-singularity.
That made me think about the recent idea that Geeks are pulling Hollywood's strings (http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/129492-the-geeks-are-pulling-hollywoods-strings-right-now-and-thats-not-a-g/) – something I don't agree with, but I feel the author of this article has twigged on that something is up in the media. There's some fusion of what is fannish/nerdy/geeky and Hollywood and major media companies that seems a bit . . . off.
Me, I think these two articles are related. Why? Because they they hit on the fact that there's this "current of support" for a lot of recent media ventures – a support that seems to be in some ways, obligatory. I feel this sense of Obligatory Support is real, and is a factor that will affect us culturally and professionally.
Have you ever joked you're obligated to buy a game (I have – Final Fantasy XIII). Have you ever watched a series because it was from a genre you supported? Did you go to a Harry Potter release party . . . because?
You're starting to see where I'm going.