[AtLast]

I think that reducing members here to nothing more than font on a forum contributes to the center of what has been damaging to us all from the old site to this one. Behind the font are living, breathing, caring people trying to communicate and build community through what technology has gifted to us.

Also, I find remarks that are uncaring and dismissive about folks that do find community here can be very able-bodied (and minded) privilege in action without regard for just how many of our members are geographically confined to areas in which they cannot be themselves. And there are our neuro-diverse members and those with various emotional differences in communication skills.

There is a new extension, if you will, of cyber consciousness that we engage in. And rudeness or snark does effect this developing 21st century means of communication. I find that sticking to key tenets of common courtesy might be valuable as we utilize this technology at the level of friend or even love building. It's here, it's real and as in all communication, it's etiquette and relationship building properties is evolving. I think of Arab Spring for example and the power of internet social networking in a global sense and am amazed and in awe of where the world is at this time. Of course, I don’t take what we have today for granted. I was born and raised in early life without TV, private telephone lines and other than books, the radio was the main source of entertainment or being informed. This is a time when newspapers were where we gathered quick references to world events and politician’s secret lives remained secret.

Sometimes I honestly think that younger generations born with so much of what we have technologically today just don’t get how different their lives are and the very important responsibilities hey have in developing positive communication skills and mores (how dare I use such a term) for our global systems of communicating and learning about people that don’t live next door. This is a big responsibility and every generation must find new ways to stop these forms of human communication from becoming empty and lacking regard for what makes us human.

Not trying to lecture- having an generational moment that wants all of what has been gained and will be to be utilized in the most human of ways. I actually have great faith in the younger generations ability to keep us on track with honest and caring ways of knowing one another through all of the ways we can now stay in touch. Although, I have to trust this, don't I?