Is it me, or is it very hard to stay in touch with people?

[NotPennysBoat]

Obviously, I mean fellow MAPs or people discussing this issue. Makes no difference if it's here or elsewhere. At least a dozen people went radio silent. I'm not blocked as far as I know, and also there were no disagreements I was aware of.

I realize that people strive for anonymity and may not be available a lot of the time. But this is still the worst ghosting I've ever got, and from so many different people. I don't expect my messages to be returned every day or hell, every week. But this is nuts.

This includes people reaching out to me who ask for a discussion and never respond even once.

Hopefully, it's not my deodorant.

[Shady]

Well, you got it right, it is the deodorant!

On serious note, I think it has something to do with the modernity of life more than you personally. When technology wasn't advanced, humans only have each other as entertainment, so they find joy easily in a few interactions with each other. Later on, when technology evolves, it provides much more convenient and engaging ways to entertain, which also distracts you from the charm of conversations and makes your mood to interact with others fluctuate abnormally. Worse, technology trains your mind to expect something more, so the consistency of one's personality might make it seem not worth maintaining.

[on the rocks]

It's totally hard.  Everyone is keeping this part of them hidden from their real life, so it's hard to be consistent with contact.  It's not like regular friends and acquaintances where one can whip out a quick DM at any point in the day. Each person is probably having their own ebbs and flows with this subject as they try and be 'normal' for a while, then fall back into it. Then one never knows if they've made contact with an anti or a troll who is on the hunt for someone they can expose and will move on from someone they don't think they can "get".

I guess that's why we try and make PSC a point of stability.  Even if the cast of characters is forever changing, at least the stage is still here.
And one old director with his beard dragging on the floor who's pretty much part of the furniture.

[OneLove]

And one old director with his beard dragging on the floor who's pretty much part of the furniture.

Thank God for that.

This subject is something we all struggle with and sometimes we just have to shut our minds to it. I've left many times over the years but always get dragged back. My only wish is that the ones who disappeared did so of their own volition and not at the end of shackles.