I just realized, it’s no wonder much of Lemmy’s current base is in their 30s (and older.) The social aspects of the internet we grew up with was more forum-based. The slower pace we currently have here isn’t a deal breaker, because we knew a time where this was normal. We participated in and built communities because if we didn’t, they wouldn’t exist. There was no pre-made social media behemoth for us to get lost in.

But people who’ve grown up with modern social media didn’t have that experience. They’re accustomed to riding fast-paced rapids, where things quickly change, and where algorithms control their feed and direct the whole experience. That’s their normal. By contrast, Millenials and older came online to gentle, quiet streams. We had to learn to row the oars manually (creating novel communities and content.) That gave us greater control over where we’d go and what we’d see.

Lemmy is a gentle stream right now. People who come here expecting white water rafting are going to feel like something’s missing. People who grew up with pre-made online communities probably never took the steps to build one up before.

I’d love to see younger people taking up the mantle of building a new corner of the internet. Especially in an era where personal control is increasingly limited by powerful monied interests, learning how to create and run communities can be very empowering.

Oof, poor kitty. And isn’t that just what this trip needed - more uncomfortable tension in the air. Is your brother the type of person to find comfort from talking about a recently-deceased pet? Or will it just make things more awkward?

My brother (and his wife) practically house a menagerie/farm. Not that they care about animals in some particular way, I honestly don’t know why they do anything they do. But I know that for them, life just rolls on.

Best of luck, friend. That’s a good thing you’re doing for your mom. I, too, have a troublesome brother in a southern state, and even my own family members have told me, “If you ever visit him, for the love of god, get a hotel. Do NOT stay at his house.” I’m glad you have friends that you can stay with instead. Hopefully you’ll arrive back home with more fun memories of friends than anything else.

Note the conspicuous lack of traditional swear words on this list.

If I were a kid in this class, I would’ve abused the hell out of that loophole. (And suffered the consequences, but finding and exploiting the technical ways to skirt a teacher’s stupid rules was always worth it.)