It think the shift into acceptance of D&D is part of a general mainstreaming of geek stuff (the so-called geek wave) rather than just tabletop games and the lik

It think the shift into acceptance of D&D is part of a general mainstreaming of geek stuff (the so-called geek wave) rather than just tabletop games and the like. Other 'geek' interests fell into the same category - Star Trek, etc. Those also have reached 'ok, I can talk about it in wider social circles without getting squinted at or handed a copy of The Watchtower' levels in the new millennium where they were not previously. This is definitely a better state of affairs and it really really please me to see new audiences play D&D or discover TNG, but sadly, as such (again, maybe just my nostalgic bias) such things have been so marketable-sized by the corps taking advantage of the geek wave as to be bland and soulless.