Okay, technically I'm only speaking for myself, except I know I hear a lot of other people express this. So many people here have mental health problems that result in hurting other people, or being hurt by other people, when there's no real malicious intent. Or problems that make it really hard not to be just a bit snarky here and there. Triggers that make things seem hostile when they aren't. And I want to point out: Yes, other people can see you improving. Even when you can't. I've been talking with a lot of people about drama-adjacent things, which means talking a lot about people that have been in conflicts, and thinking about those conflicts, and... Basically, most of the big conflicts and drama of the last two years, if the events that precipitated them happened today, the explosions and such wouldn't have happened. Because the people involved are better at self-care, better at noticing when they're starting to get worked up, better at calming down. The moderation system has evolved and deals better with a lot of things, too. But mostly... The people have gotten a lot better at things. And it doesn't always feel like you're making progress, but I've been thinking and talking about literally dozens of people that I've interacted with on the forums who have had problems and conflicts, and I think every single one of them has shown significant noticeable improvements. And I know people often don't feel like they're getting better. And sometimes if you're in conflict with someone, it doesn't look like they're getting better. But they are. Really. So are you.
