You'd be surprised. "Criticism" like mistake-noticing and "criticism" like social analysis elide together as often as not. I think that, 10 years ago, the cultures I participated in did not have the groundswell of people and tools to discuss race issues as LJ-Princesses do now; but that was a function of avoidance of a specific topic, not of a lack of interest in social criticism. (I remember spending many, many words on other topics in a social-analysis way, especially sexism and sexuality.)

I would say that LJ-Princesses have developed over time the willingness to be much more openly confrontational of a fannish object's social defects; whereas the older communities I describe tended to be resigned or ironic in their observations of same. I don't think that's a difference in analysis, however, but a difference in audiencing, tactics, and intent among the analyzers. Also, I mean, that development has been very gradual and recent: maybe three years, maybe four.

(Pardon me, I must go shake my cane and some children on my lawn.)