Chat room or rubber room?

I have never been much of a joiner. I wasn't a girl scout and I didn't play a team sport. Mostly I have several close friends that I socialize with who I've known for a long time. However, I joined a chat room for the HBO series Deadwood. That show was the most fascinating television I have ever watched. I went into the chat room because Deadwood tends to make fanatics out of ordinary people. Soon, I wasn't just lurking, I was posting. I am glad, for the most part, that I did that. I "met" some really outstanding people, like rskoo, CanalGal, lulucaliente, GabrielsTrumpet, Ecclesfan, 69fender, DXMikey and last but certainly not least, portrayedbyjim. We discussed the show, but we also discussed everything else you can imagine; food, travel, work, love, life, death. To think, I never would have known about these people if not for our common love of a television show. But in anything, there has to be a flip side, right? There are some old farts who have become self-appointed guardians of all that is holy on the site. Raindawg seems to wear the crown of chief arbiter. That old relic takes exception with everything I post. Sometimes, I post something guaranteed to get a rise out of him, and sure enough, he never disappoints. There are a couple of minions who rise up to defend the curmudgeon if I say anything that seems a bit contrary. It's a game that has lost its charm. It really is unfortunate that there is anonymity in chat rooms. If everyone had to post under their real names, I think the tone would be a lot more civil. As things stand, any fucknut with an ax to grind can find an audience on the web. Some of these folks seem to be more than odd, they seem to be mentally disturbed. Some are just blowhards who finally have a place to go to spout off. In their real lives I imagine they get their asses kicked on a regular basis for such behavior. I don't know if the chatroom world is for me. I doubt it. I am glad, though, that I had the experience.