I think there has always been a gate keeping minority that liked the dysfunction. Or more specifically, they liked that they could figure out how to correct the dysfunction while others struggled. That really obnoxious, insecure, computer nerd personality type. So glad I can just block those motherfuckers now instead of begging for their assistance.

That's a baffling take. The era when hardware compatibility was a coin flip (I vividly remember having to download WiFi adapter drivers on another computer to get a fresh Linux install connected), when most desktop environments were poorly developed and very prone to crashing, was your favourite? I suspect this might be a big case of rose-tinted glasses. Linux has never been more "it just works" and accessible than it is now.