So many responses with a range of wonderful answers.

If anyone is curious, I am sick of the bullshit of people thinking that the internet is some l kind of free speech beacon that a billionaire could save for them.

I just want real people to interact with and hopefully have a decent conversation.

@Bukowskiwithacamera
I came here in '17 because of the security features. I've stayed because of the community.

@Bukowskiwithacamera

Looking for something other than Twitter.

@Bukowskiwithacamera right now I’m trying not to have a nervous breakdown 😂

@Bukowskiwithacamera for me, it was 4-5 years….I needed an algo detox, peeps were getting crazy and I wanted to interact with actual people. That was when we were just under 10k I think.

I have made solid come connections with all sorts of cool people.

The people here have kept me sane in a world of batty in that time—I am forever grateful for that ….

@Bukowskiwithacamera I blame @KellyCarlin 🙂

@Bukowskiwithacamera Excellent community, no ads, no bots, no abuse, no foreign ops, and I am not a product to be sold to the highest bidder.

@Bukowskiwithacamera all about the community!

@Bukowskiwithacamera been here from the start. It's an oasis free from hateful people.

@Bukowskiwithacamera - I came here 5 years ago to scream into the void. The void gently welcomed me and I realized it was a community worth nurturing.

@Bukowskiwithacamera got curious a few months ago after I heard the place mentioned on Twitter so I checked it out and never left

@Bukowskiwithacamera I called trailer trash "trailer trash" and was banned. Then on my backup account, I called an orange asshole and orange asshole. Then on my backup backup, I called someone a stupid cunt. :) I told the truth and was punished accordingly. LOL

@Bukowskiwithacamera Elon, partly. Also just looking for something different, preferably with fewer nazis.

@Bukowskiwithacamera I need to get away from all the noise and hatred on Twitter. This space seems quiet. It's a lot more peaceful. When I think of Twitter, I see a bonfire. When I think of CS it's more like a stream.

@Bukowskiwithacamera to see if it's a good replacement for Twitter. Still there but venturing out. You?

@Bukowskiwithacamera Pull the platform from social media giants who help mainstream fascism and qanon.

@Bukowskiwithacamera ive actually been looking for a new social network for some time. i left facebook a while ago and i dont care for twitter. so when i saw a max exodus to this place i came to check it out.

@Bukowskiwithacamera Because of this:

@Bukowskiwithacamera
I came here a *long* time ago... back before any of the current cool features were here. I came here because I'd been following J on twitter and because I heard good things from people I respected.

At that time, as now, it was the awesome people and friendly community that kept me here.

All the rest of the many, many bells and whistles (sorry J) are just (incredible) icing on the cake!

@Bukowskiwithacamera because before lex luthor bought it there was a fair chance that horrible people could get banned, at the very least they had to behave themselves.

@Bukowskiwithacamera I’m here because I enjoy talking with people from all walks of life and learning from them. I’m also here to get book recommendations.