Do you feel like in all the time/years you been here that you never felt truly part of this community?

Spikey is to say, not soft. In other words, have a little edge and need to stick out. Although, I wouldn't call you a push over, I've not seen that, but that seems to be what John was eluding to. Side note* No one calls anyone "spikey", at least I've never heard it in daily conversation...unless you're a hedgehog.

Any kind of input is valued only by a select number of people. Some more some less and until we create that input, we don't know how it is received. One of the good examples has been the way tv and internet videos/podcasts work. For a time tv has been immensively popular and widely viewed but recently the trend is that people seek out different messages and entertainment from the net. People gravitate to longer formats that the tv can't provide and thus people are looking for more meaning and message. That is why certain podcasts and scientists or teachers who but out content out there are really popular now. So even though the general feeling might be with the more popular / maybe surface level things, it does not mean that the deep thoughts and content are shunned. Certain people look for that, crave for it and that number is not small at all out there. In here too, people value the long and deep thoughts and you never know if someone new or a old member is also seeking that.

Just read through this thread, anyone who wants to be my friend can be, no judgement or anything like that. :) May all beings be free from suffering, and filled with joy!

Personally I have been here many many years but I only tend to comment on stuff I feel I can contribute too which a lot of the times I can’t

The site is an echo chamber and the groups have already formed with their strong opinions. I like to watch the site and see how you all congregate and then reference it with naked eyes and it's not really appealing from what they advertise then what's actually within. Then you have people that have been here trying to break the friendship wall but they will never succeed they would have better luck accept their fate and look someplace else or take the slanted key to the 7. These people chat and engage with the group but a lot of there efforts are missed or flat out denied over and over. The lurkers lurk. No need to explain why. I wouldn't want to be part of the community as most people here are to far gone. They seem set in the spot of projected reality rather then reality it's self. As to being part of it? No, I'm just a mear observer who occasionally sticks his hands in to see how it affects things. I don't like groups or communities it engages tribalism and mob mentality. The long list of fallacies encouraged by human urges to satisfy the peer pressure is too infuriating to tolerate.