I think it’s both simple and complex . . .

I think everyone starts feeling the same way. I moved to Bluehost and knew nothing around 2006 after having a spot on a WordPress multisite that James Farmer ran prior to his edublogs days. I didn’t do much for any number of years. I would have pursued easier paths than I did if they had existed. For that matter, I actively resisted gaining certain skills until relatively recently.

It just depends on when you start and what you want to do. For me, that has changed relative to lots of outside forces.

I don’t know that I understand what you mean by standards or rules.

But I’d argue, in reclaim anyway, that there’s no goal of hipster-coolness-through-exclusion. I have been helped by the extended ds106/reclaim community over time and try to return the favor when I can. I know that personally I don’t care what you do with your space if it makes you happy. Take on whatever challenges you want. There’s something positive to me in knowing I have an option even if it’s not exercised.

I resist the hipster parallel because that stuff seems to be about style/exclusivity rather than substance and inclusion. Maybe a commune with the desire to be somewhere between less-dependent to self-sufficient? Maybe I just dislike the thought of wearing tight jeans and trucker hats.

For the record, I still watch videos and feel totally lost on a daily basis. I blame our society/educational structure for making people feel like that’s not normal or even positive.