Lurking around Reddit, I've been a bit delighted to learn that for all its considerable other faults, a LOT of Trek redditors are men who grew up watching Wesley as children, and still regard his character with a great deal of affection.

I know modern fandom is said to be the worst ever, but as a child I read a "joke" about Wesley being gang raped by Klingons in a semipro fanzine, which wouldn't fly today.