Yeah, obscure interests are hardly a thing of the past. If anything it’s only gotten stronger, people of all ages can now be sucked so far down the fandom rabbithole that they lose sight of it being their obscure interest.
Although the way it used to be, kids would have access to one obscure thing, and so that’s their one chance at having an obscure interest. That’s changed, kids now get much wider choice.
Edit: Clarity
The enemy of my enemy has his uses, but that absolutely does not make him my friend.