Hackers is probably a big reason I got into computers as a kid in the 90's. I wish I still had that same feeling of awe and excitement about them today.
What's changed is that the ratio of those people to the total population of computer users has drastically decreased. And furthermore, the ratio of creators to consumers has also plummeted.
Ironically, I think that's the lesson that should be taken from TikTok's success: there's actually a surprising amount of people who yearn to be more creative than currently popular platforms allow them to be.
I'm not so sure. Maybe 10 years ago. I used to be involved with the hackerspace scene in the UK but I got sick of the politics. Like all subcultures, past a certain point it starts attracting the sociopaths.
Internal politics seems like the #1 problem for volunteer groups. But then, I guess it is for the wider world as well! Anything worth anything is worth fighting to control (for some).