CUTE. TT^TT

(5) to "align" to even consider speaking to someone. If they miss just one of your prerequisites than it's easier to call them a pdf and disregard every single aspect of their humany. Connection denied. People who 20 years ago could have become lifelong friends are instead telling each other to kys

(4) experiences outside of our own, which in a way made it easier to emphathise with experiences outside of your immediate community. But now that global reach has itself been weaponised to create a global conflict where no two people can get along because there are 137 different ways you need

(3) All sense of community and empathy is being systematically and intentionally torn down to stop people from coming together. Fandom is just one small pocket of this, but it's happening *everywhere.* The internet brought with it an unprecedented ability to connect with and learn about global

(2) regret bemoaning what we have now instead of appreciating it while it's here, because it's only going to get worse......

I don't want to be a pessimistic or melancholic person, I'd rather be hopeful. But they have been so, so good at making everyone shoot across the aisle lately.

(1) I really do get the idea. I felt that allegory viscerally in my bones. I've *ridden* that subway. I remember it. It was all so vivid for me to remember. I know it wasn't perfect, but it was so much better than what we have now.... and I keep finding myself wondering if someday I'm going to

I feel like I get made fun of a lot for 'not being willing to adapt' and clinging to the past and being technologically 'old and stupid', but I miss MySpace, Ffnet, DeviantArt, and all of the connections I made there. Connection used to feel so much more accessible...

And with everything overrun with spambots and ai and the inhection of discourse fractueing fan communities, the first reaction to a stranger reaching out is almost justifiably suspicious. Even conventions these days are just so massive and corporate and even filled with drops hopping and AI

I'm realising that how lonely I feel in fandom lately is because all of thise fandom spaces I used to meet and talk to people are dying. It's all becoming the same corporate gray where nobody is willing to reach out.

Fic Link: archiveofourown.org/works/73625731

I keep watching that cup turn into a cookie in her hands. eugh.