To all those reading the thread, I thank you for the time from your days you have alotted to read this. Eariler, about 1 AM (-6 GMT, U.S. Central) I was sending out my recruiting message for my new guild in Lion's Arch District 1. Surrounded by the usual spam, I was intently focused on timing my message so that it wouldn't roll off the screen.
And then Gaile Grey, in purple text, spoke one line:
"No one talks anymore

It was as if for most people there, time stopped. Immediately, one little line of text caused people to first try and prove otherwise and then came the usual flood of questions about new stuff.
But it did one thing for me personally. It kicked me out of my little trance long enough to realize...Gaile was right. True, there have been many various threads discussing the behavior of the community at large. But you never really consider it till "everything stops."
I looked at those who denied what Gaile said, and then thought to myself "But moments ago not a single one of you was speaking to each other, you were all just selling your wares" and it occured to me, I was just as guilty.
By now you're asking what the point of the little story is. Well I won't keep you from it any longer.
Many of the older players, those of us lulled into the trance of endless spam, positioning posts, and chasing "the next cool item" will be enjoying the FPE Weekend soon, and many of us will be buying Factions.
But, also consider this, there will be MANY new players who are new to our little community. People who will be examining us, judging us, testing to see if we are worthy to have them with us. Yes, gameplay, and graphics make the physical portion of a game, but even that is just a husk of electrons without the community.
Therefore, in light of my little revelation tonight, I put forth a small set of challenges to the entire community.
Enjoy the weekend in all its aspects, not just for the "cool new stuff" you can get. Consider the number of new players, and increase your tolerance of less then perfect playing ability. Be kind, answer questions, stand around and talk with your friends, old and new. Seek to challenge others, and then seek to challenge yourself by doing difficult things that you haven't before.
See if you, can make these new players see that we have not forgotten that this game is about team play; not just to "get stuff" as a group, but to play as a team for the sake of being a team. That, we welcome the new blood who seek to be taught by the knowledgable veterans and experts. That, ultimately, we are a community worthy of their time and respect.
Last, and most important of all. At the end of the event, if you have done these things. See if you are better for it, if you gained a new perspective, new friends, good memories and experiences, and a new found appreciation for thi game that you thought you'd lost. If you challenged yourself, and find those things to be true, then the final challenge is to keep doing them. Do everything you can not to sink back into this trance that acts as a siren's call upon the minds of even good well meaning players.
We are better then spam, we are better then self indulgence, we are better then to be hollow and listless. Let's prove it oncemore.
Thank you again for your time, it is greatly appreciated. *Bows*