It's not dying, but it's been slower due to wars and economy for over a year now (I've been doing this 9 years straight now, and this last year I've had to work the hardest besides year 1). Financial advisors say things should pick up again, economy wise mid 2025. This is an election year, people feel insecure election years, and tend to spend less.
I feel like things will pick up. I don't think this industry is recession proof, as was once proposed. But I also don't think it's going anywhere in the long run.
A lot of us are having a lot of genuine fun, and connections that we aren't really free to have in our everyday lives. So I seriously doubt anything is dying.
I've been a member, and sometimes only observer, on forums this whole time. Every year people say it's dying. I've never agreed that it's even slowed down, other than this last year or so. It's a tough industry with a high turn over, and high burn out rate. In general, the longer a model has been around, the less hard they tend to get hit by the ebb and flow of economy. So I am sure newer models are having it harder than ever. But even vets ( veterans not veterinarians) are acknowledging the slow state of thing this last year or so.