I've been doing a lot of thinking lately of noders past -- those who are no longer with us.. at least, not officially. Namely the sagas of DMan and Puredoxyk.
For those of you who don't know about any of this, go look somewhere else because I really don't want to give a history lesson right now. Besides, if I gave a discourse of the events leading up to now, it would be tainted with my personal feelings, and that would not be fair to them. I respect them too much for that.
That having been said, I still reserve the right to say what I think because I'm egocentric enough to believe that I've been here long enough to to have earned the right to have an opinion on such matters.
Both DMan and Puredoxyk shared a lot of the same characteristics. They were don't very opinionated, outspoken and eloquent. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were Professors or Theologians in past (or future) lives.
They were warriors to the last -- and I mean that as a compliment. But being the general of your own army often leads to a fatal loophole.
They did not know when to stop.
Fighting against the system has the unfortunate side-effect of destroying the very boundaries that keep us in a state of understanding. When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. In the end, I feel that (DMan especially) their arguments degenerated into combat for it's own sake.
It's a bad trait to believe that everyone else is wrong. And I, quite frankly feel that is what they believed. I get the vibe they wanted very little else then to be 'in charge'. To be the big man on campus. But what was failed to be realized was that the Biggest Bucks get taken down first.
Public opinion on E2 is a sliding scale. The more people who know your name, the more brimstone it opens you up to. Your views carry more of a payload, and then your views magnify themselves far beyond their intended scope.
And in the end, they both limped away. The General may have a resolute jaw when he leads his troops in a retreat, but the soldiers know what the true feelings are.
Some have said, quite insightfully, that they were both looking for a reason to stay. Someone to call them back. I believe that. And it would have worked, too, except that no one wants to grasp a naked blade to pull themselves out of quicksand, and neither of them wanted to admit they needed the forgiveness they sorely owed themselves.
In the end, E2 is a sadder place without them, I feel. Puredoxyk especially. He angered me on many occasions and thoroughly insulted my beliefs and feelings, but in the end, I still feel I was a better person because of it. A little more cynical, maybe, but better to a degree.
I guess this could be thought of as... farewell... to them. Even still, though they are gone, they're spirit still lingers. They made a lasting mark, whether we want to admit it or not.
The last line of a WU like this is usually reserved for the words "you'll probably end of voting this down, but", but I'm not putting that here. Why? Because, frankly, I think a lot of you agree with my feelings.