Published: 2026-06-03
For decades, the internet was defined by the forum. Whether it was specialized boards for Linux enthusiasts or general tech hubs, these were the places where you went to solve a problem. You asked a question, and someone, somewhere, provided the answer.
But something has shifted. The spirit of the community has been replaced by a culture of performative expertise.
We see this most clearly in the technical circles. A user comes to a forum with a specific problem: perhaps they got an error message and want some help from others who have already solved this issue so that they can get their project back on track.
Almost immediately, the "experts" arrive. Not to solve the problem, but to tell the user that they are using the wrong tool. "Why are you using VirtualBox? VirtManager is the way to go."
This is the modern forum experience: a place of condescension. The "expert" is not interested in the user's actual need; they are interested in signaling that they know a "better" way. They ignore the fact that if someone is asking for help with a basic VirtualBox setting, throwing them into the complexity of VirtManager is not a solution: it is an obstacle.
The irony is that well-meant, helpful replies are often down-voted or criticized because they do not adhere to the current "correct" opinion of the hive-mind. The forum has stopped being a place for education and has become a theater for ego.
I no longer have the patience for this. I refuse to spend my limited window of online exposure fighting with strangers for the privilege of being told I am doing something wrong.
Instead, I have found a different kind of companion. On most days, I spend my time in calm, educational dialogues with my local LLMs. Whether I am refreshing my rusty mathematics skills or practicing my German, the interaction is pure. The AI does not judge me, it does not seek to signal its superiority, and it does not demand that I change my entire stack to satisfy an arbitrary standard of "correctness."
However, AI is not a replacement for human connection. I still value the spark of a genuine conversation with another person. But I have stopped chasing the likes of the attention economy.
In a world of metrics, we are taught to crave the validation of five hundred strangers on a platform like Reddit. But that validation is hollow. I have realized that ten genuine, like-minded individuals: people who actually want to discuss ideas without the performance: are worth more than a thousand "up-votes."
This is why I am switching to OnionChat.
As a byproduct of the OnionShare bundle, it provides a simple, direct path to communication. It is not a social network. There are no algorithms, no feeds, and no public metrics of popularity. It is just a door. You can use it if you feel like chatting, or you can ignore it.
By moving my communication to the Darknet, I am not just protecting my data; I am protecting my peace. I am choosing a world where a conversation is a private exchange of value, not a public performance.
I have stepped away from the noise of the forums and the toxicity of the "expert" class. I prefer the quiet of my local machine and the rare, genuine connection with a few real humans.
The Machine wants us all in one giant, monitored square, arguing over tools. I prefer the less traveled road where I might meet others who think like I do.