Gonna be mega gay and talk about how the farms improved myself and my life personally.
When I was younger, I was more insecure with myself. I doubted a lot of my own opinions and my value, and I was more nervous about people and confrontation. Reading through this site, I realized a lot of people have the same or similar opinons as I do - I wasn't crazy for having them, I wasn't bad for having them, I wasn't alone in wanting a place like this. When I signed up, I was more timid and formal about my opinions, but learned that people somehow liked them. Valued what I had to say or bring to a conversation. I saw other users argue, and eventually breached into argument/disagreement with others, and turned out to have good debates and to not fear it over being #canceled or belittled. And when I was insulted, I either saw dumb ratings or realize I didn't have to put up with this shit or take it to heart because other users who it happened to didn't let it happen to affect them. They lead by example. I learned what mattered to me, and what I believed in and stood for was important. And how others talked about their beliefs allowed me to challenge my own and understand them better. It's fun to contemplate others' perspectives. I learned how to bitch IRL and not feel bad about it.
I learned it was fun reading about others. Not just lolcows, but kiwis: their life experiences shared over the forums let me know how others lived and where they came from. I learned how they dealt with them and how to deal with it myself if I was in that situation with their or others' advice. I learned a ton about psych. How people work, how disorders work, how to deal with people, how toxic things happen - it helped me in customer service and learning how to handle and interact with people better. I learned to cut people off. I learned to say "no". I left friends I was devastated to realize I needed to leave... but I came out so much better and am at peace with it. I learned to make peace with my own past actions and bad choices, to not feel guilty forever and to motivate myself to be more balanced. Other people were mentally ill on the site like me, but were strong through it (even if they didn't and still don't think they were). A balanced and diplomatically frank take on it. How wonderful.
I learned how badly narcissism can damage your life, but also, how it hilariously bites the narc in the ass in the end. Cows are another lead by example, I could understand not controlling your vices or indulgences could ruin your life. I'm encouraged not to stagnate if I'm scared but to push forward - I don't want to be Kevin Gibes (but I was declared his biggest fan by him!).
Shit, social and psychological stuff wasn't the only thing I learned. I learned about farming. I learned about law. I learned about jail and prison, divorce court, obscure laws, international laws, state specific laws. I learned how to better care for animals and check their body language. I learned a ton of words, fun facts about collecting toys, how video game studios work, what youtube was like, the process of sugar daddies, the economics of furries and crafts, budgeting and tax laws, local and world history. What a time to be alive that we can share all this with each other.
I think, above all, it made me learn to think more. Not always take words someone or some article says as fact. How to balance both sides, how to check for inaccuracies. How ground news from locals was important even if they were regulated to social media and not given a voice by mainstream media. How youtubers cannot stop being gay. Here's to the act of being a second guesser and making sure about things. It's cool and fun, and part of the fun is the discussion around it.
Maybe I'm sappy and emotional, but I have fun being such. I learned I don't have to be ashamed of that. Each person who's given me advice (or made a funny snarky comment) has helped me grow in some way. I'm grateful for the people of this site, and how I've recieved thoughts and laughs from a strange place like this.
I've had some retards here and some threads that make me want to nuke them (for user stupidity), but a ton has been positive. Connecting to others is so important, and combined with IRL people, therapy, and going outside, I've been leading a better life, encouraged by the bastard tranny death niggeredgelords of this horrible hell site that should be wiped from the face of the earth for it's crimes against documenting embarrasment and cows. How cool.
TL;DR: I've benefitted from this site. I think others have too.
