Elitist we've been called. And not by non-members of our community - that is impossible. But by ones who watch, who s'posably see, ones who participate in this 'elitism.'

'Of course they have, or I wouldn't be sitting here talking to someone like you.'1

Yes. We are elite. We must be. Otherwise, people who type without using the entire keyboard would overrun us. The ones that use 'u' and 'r' instead of 'you' and 'are.' The ones that we think come from places like that forbidden hell, often called AOL.

Our society, the one online, not the one that surrounds us in day to day life, is (was?) not concerned with offending people. The more we offend, the merrier, yes? We are (were?) not concerned with normal social boundaries. We have rules, but they are as follows: well, ok, maybe we don't. But we have MORALS, right? Generally, people follow some unwritten rules like, use your entire keyboard, don't be a moron, try to piss off the least amount of people possible, stuff like that. Oh, yeah. No a/s/l. That's just... neayh.

Suddenly, after an especially popular joining season, people started caring about what other people thought. Suddenly, we weren't allowed to say things. We weren't allowed to have opinions that mattered. 'So many men, so many opinions.'2 These 'newbies' started changing our views. Something is amiss here. Weren't we the ones who posted hundreds of posts about September 11th, with tons of varied views? McLeary's stopped drinking. Days stopped actually sucking. The my day kicked ass because board basically stopped functioning from lack of posts.

Why is it, that after two and a half years of working the way www.whatthefuck.com did, it changed? What happened that people started caring about what other people thought, instead of caring about what other people needed for their brains to expand? Sure, the place is still a community for the intellectual, but it's now a community for the intellectual who want to tread carefully.

We were, and sometimes still are, elite for a reason. We needed to stay elite to keep ourselves in check. If we were not elite, this would place would just be like the real world - non-offensive, overbearing, stupid, and, god-forbid, not a release of tension from Actual Living.

Over the years, almost three, many, many people have joined our commune. Some have left, some have stayed. Some are louder than others, some are quieter than others. But they all have an impact on our community.

Everyone has an impact. No matter how small, or big, you have an impact on something here. Does anyone remember WarPigMan's writings? Does anyone know what happened to him? He was hit by a car and killed. I remember him. I read writings because of him. His work was awesome. Does anyone remember LightBandit (rest her soul...)? I'm sure a lot of you do. She was here for us to flame! She didn't care about seeming stupid, or anything. She just wanted to be a part of us. She was, in some demented sort of way.

Everyone is a part of this group. Even if we don't all get along. We cannot have any society if we all get along. Squabbles and squalls and minor abrasions are part of life.

Don't be afraid to get out there. Don't be afraid to take a stand for what you believe. 'This animal is very dangerous; when attacked it defends itself.'3 Sure, you might offend someone. You might even be called elite.

We have.




Barbara Cartland
Terence
Anonymous