When young adult @pyrarity asked if it was "okay" to still love plushies and Pokémon cards as an adult, social media answered loud and clear: with support, stories, and lots of plushie photos.
"Is it okay to be over 18 and still love buying plushies, collecting Pokémon cards, and having extremely nerdy hobbies and interests?" they tweeted.
The replies came fast and affirming. Many told @pyrarity that not only was it okay, it was better. Being an adult means having the money and freedom to enjoy nerdy interests without needing approval. The tweet is currently sitting at 8.8 million views.
Fans posted pictures of shelves stacked with collectibles and bedrooms lined with stuffed animals, proudly owning what brings them joy.
"By the time you are 30, you are gonna be desperate to get back in touch with that inner child that so many people your age are desperate to grow out of," @Hoodie_Milly replied. "People who cling to their maturity over their interests lead boring, miserable lives."
The rise and rejection of cringe culture
However, there was a reason @pyrarity felt the need to ask. For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the fear of being "cringe" often overshadows genuine self-expression. A Rolling Stone piece described how online culture weaponizes the label. From trying new hobbies to simply caring too much, anything that shows effort and enjoyment risks being ridiculed.
Ocean Vuong, a poet and professor at NYU, has seen this mindset firsthand in his students. "They say, 'I want to be a good writer, but it’s a bit cringe,'" he shared in an interview with ABC News. "'I don’t want to be perceived as trying and having an effortful attempt at my dreams.' They are absolutely scared of judgment."
According to Vuong, many young people hide their effort behind irony or detachment. They want to care—but only in private.
"They perform cynicism because cynicism can be misread, as it often is, as intelligence,” Vuong said. "I think sincerity is something we deeply hunger for, particularly young people, but we are embarrassed when sincerity is in the room."
Still, there’s pushback. Memes like "I am cringe, but I am free" have become rallying cries for young people reclaiming their joy. Vuong emphasized the importance of creating environments where trying isn’t mocked but celebrated. “You have to set the tone [...] so that they can be sincere and earnest without being condemned or ridiculed for it."
Nerds unite in the comments
The replies to @pyrarity’s tweet proved that such spaces exist, and they’re growing. Adults of all ages flooded the thread with their own nerdy passions, offering not just validation, but community.
"Yep. I have some Pokémon Cards, my single star & double star Hunter Licenses, a bunch of Hello Kitty Stuff, a few stuffed animals & I’m nerdy about my hobbies and interests. It’s completely ok lol," wrote @jessmcmxci.
@gilmxres tweeted, "I hate that everyone thinks your life is just supposed to be mundane and boring once you’re an adult. enjoy your nerdy hobbies and interests!! who cares!! we’re on a floating rock in space."
@pyrarity followed up after the deluge of comments, saying, "hihi i can’t reply to everyone but thank you so much for not making me feel alone and makes me so happy to see ppl embrace themselves and their hobbies we really are all just a bunch of nerds."
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