To me it seems like we're always just a click away from being bullied in some direct or indirect way here. I say indirect because there's always more going on beneath the surface with a particular situation, and oftentimes other characters involved.
In this place if a bully has a problem with you and they have more power than you and some friends to back them up, you're in a position where there is literally nothing you can do about it, you can fight back in no way other than words, while your rewards get raped, your reputation diminished, time wasted, mental health impacted, etc.
I'm all about standing ones ground in a situation where you can somehow impact the situation in a positive way, or defend yourself at the very least, but this is nothing more than a virtual emulation of the pyramidal power structure that runs the world, and this exemplifies it grossly and creates a detachment from people with their actions and behaviors and ultimately warps their mind. I guess that's an opinion, but it's one I'm pretty convinced of at this point.
I didn't come here for psycho wars.
Yeah well I don't disagree with your analysis. "A click away from being bulled" rings true. There's a veneer of free speech and freedom but people with massive reps and stakes are always watching. I have a feeling I'm barely tolerated around here. It explains why I feel like I rarely get anywhere, because I'm unwilling to shmooze or be phony. I feel my content (posts and comments) add value and speak for themselves. If I can't get paid for my content, well, this place is a fail since that's what it is supposed to do. There are plenty of blog sites. If this site doesn't offer true freedom, true free speech, a true free market, and a fair chance at being paid for content, we shouldn't be supporting it. I've been having trouble fully committing here for a long time now. Way too many bad forks, censorship, and issues like you're mentioning.