There’s got to be something to the fact that Leitner teaches Jon Smirke’s 14, and Gerry teaches Jon the fear soup theory.

Leitner, an old man who tried to do something to make himself famous and well-known and ended up ruining lives of his assistants and associating himself with cursed books. To the point that any cursed book is called a Leitner. (Supported by the wiki without reference.) Who taught Jon an old theory with strict classification systems that was ultimately flawed and wrong…

as Gerry knew. Gerry, who can’t be much older than Jon, so a millennnial. Also a goth, a counterculture movement. Also one where you dress androgynously. Accordingly, he teaches Jon the theory of the fears being like colors, if colors hated Jon—a spectrum.

Does a strict classification system being replaced with a fluid spectrum by younger people remind you of anything?