As a 42 year old guy who was into D&D, comics, obscure music/ films/books, zines, record stores, raves, shoegazing etc etc all before the internet took off, I can relate to the article. Really though the only thing that has changed is accessibility and the fact that advertising/marketing/hollywood is so exhausted and fresh out of ideas it has to constantly try to mine the past to reinvent selling points. It doesn't bother me as much as it use to. There is a trade off. If I make an obscure reference to someone half my age and they get it based on it being pulled into mass culture via marketing, causing them to research and thus getting a better understanding where I come from, that's a big plus in my book! Blank stares do get old.
As far as sacred nerdom? Well with so much shit out there people come and go so quickly anymore. Flavor of the month will only bother you for so long as they leave your precious corner of nerd world.