Very good post, and one I fully endorse. If everyone on here was like this, the internet would have actually realized its full potential instead of what we now have.
One thing I've realized over the years, though, is that "normal" people don't go on forums. And you can triple that for gaming forums. Most of us are left of center and carry a lot of baggage. We are the nerds, the outcasts, the abnormal and strange. And a lot of times, these things cause damage, and then that damage shows up online... where it causes even more damage, and more, and more and well... you get the idea. So if you're communicating with damaged people, you have to expect damaged interactions. I try as hard as I can to bridge that gap, but sometimes, it's just too much. The person is too broken. But I still try. And even when I can't succeed, I almost always walk away. No point in arguing with people online about video games. They're suppose to bring joy, not pain, and I've got enough pain all on my own to deal with. I don't need anymore.
