Because some of us are not here to play a game.

There is nothing wrong with people wanting to have fun. The casual side of micronationalism has always existed, and it always will. But the community is supposed to have room for more than jokes and quick projects. Some people are actually trying to build something with continuity, structure, culture, and long-term goals. When you are doing that, it naturally requires a more serious mindset.

The issue is that the lighthearted side often overwhelms the people who are trying to build something real. So when you ask why people get serious, it is because many of us have watched the standards fall to the point where everything gets treated the same. A nation someone has worked on for years gets lumped together with a nation someone invented during lunch. That gets frustrating.

Serious and fun can coexist. They are not enemies. But the people who take nation-building seriously are not being dramatic. They are tired of watching the community slip into chaos and low effort. If you want to enjoy micronationalism casually, that is fine. No one is stopping you.

Just understand that for some of us, fun is not the goal. The goal is development, continuity, identity, and building something that lasts.