Stepping out of my comfort zone these days requires a bit more patience, energy, and um... courage(?) than I'd care to admit, both online and off. I dislike feeling that positive characteristics with which many of us were raised, like common courtesy and respect, have been sidelined out of self-preservation. In the social context, exploration and interaction are key aspects of shared spaces. Cliques can often be more exclusionary than welcoming. I'm lurking more than playing and I don't like it.