>>96251668 (OP)
Just look at all the problems with the fantasy genre today and apply it to SciFi:
>Progressive values: it's the future.
>Diversity: it's the future.
>Power scaling: writers actually need to have a defined playing field instead of going 'magic'.
>Exploration: it's space. Or a wasteland. Or a fucking megacity.
I think redditors and other bug men gravitate towards modern Pathfinder fantasy as it feels safer. All problems are solved by magic, the cities are colorful and hip, and you can hang out with your diverse heckin friendorinos. Now apply that to SciFi: problems need actual resources, cities are grey and concrete, your friends are probably more bugmen. You can't snap your fingers and make money appear, your character actually needs to work while glaring at Chad Thunderocket and his bros as they take down a space pirate ring.
That's another thing I've noticed. Fantasy tends to attract bugmen writers with a few notable exceptions like R.E. Howard and maybe Avellone. Science Fiction on the other hand, has a lot more going for it with religious artists such as Robert Miller crafting a pretty thrilling and heartbreaking future history with Leibowitz, the original Star Trek writers were war veterans, Phillip K. Dick was a huge stoner... Even the writers who cross genres aren't uniformly bugmen with Bradbury being something of a Chad and Leguin being an actual woman, and who can forget C.S. Lewis? So SciFi heroes tend to be a lot more mature and... Dare I say... Manly?
Then you get to fantasy and it's G.R.R.M., the stereotypical neckbeard, and his buddies. There's something to the fantasy genre that attracts manchildren. Now there are manchildren that own it like Richard Garriot with Ultima but bros like them are exceptionally rare.
