Unfortunately, those days are gone. It wasn't profitable for the powers that be to not be able to divide us by demographic groups, nationality and associations. How else could we be good little consumers and "voters". Forget free and critical thinking, these days, outside of rare sites like this I can't find anyone that hasn't fallen down some youtube or facebook rabbit hole. They all talk in propaganda. To the point where I don't even care what they think, I just try to get them to ctiticize or disagree with the propaganda they have fallen for even a little.
The old internet was cool but I also get that nostalgia isn't accurate. Most communities were very unwelcoming and hostile (anti-women,racist,bullying,etc...) but that was just people being naturally shitty. I had some of the best interactions and learned from people that would never get along with me IRL.
I think a lot of these hackers or their modern successors moved to twitter. Very unfortunate since clout and acceptance is all that matters there. It means you more or less have to communicate in a public arena where even if you take measures to be anonymous all the cool hackers now use their real names and are forced and force others back into our social cages. Back to speaking in politically conformant speech and to being seen as a label or group instead of as an individual.
But that's the world, can't stop change.
