AI summary:

Nerd culture used to be a stepping stone for many curious people—they might start with science fiction, fantasy, or comics, then branch into philosophy, literature, history, and art. Now that nerd culture has become mainstream and endlessly rewarding on its own, more people stay immersed in fictional worlds instead of expanding into broader intellectual pursuits.

It’s an interesting idea. I’m skeptical though. And I’m not sure if there’s any way to measure this I would guess there’s more intellectuals than there’s ever been before due to increasing populations and literary literacy rates and access.