As a kid growing up, having a connection to other smart people with amazing views I never would have seen or heard of, having access to technologists to develop my interest & skills.

I felt alone in the world, with intense interests, and no way to connect with others or to advance my interests or learn more.

It absolutely was game changing to go to some conferences & meet people, to have some real connections to back this up. The my heavens, not being trapped in my local world was such a liberation. What I get to see and connect with today, having so many people pouring out so much of the selves, is absolutely divinely cherishable.

> Words have to bend to flesh at some point; we are embodied creatures.

An excellent point for debate. To degrees I agree. But feeding and developing the mind: that is a force multiplier that changes who you are in the world about you, and often you run into very real limits, don't have ready material, to further the mind in your local world.