.................They're much more comfortable if they can do it online, or in other remote, impersonal ways. The real problem is that kids are so isolated anymore, and most seem to lack the self-confidence to function in the presence of others.
I teach, and one thing I insist upon is personal interaction - "we're all in this together and no one get out unscathed." I tell them up front that I seek out introverts, and I know who they are because I am one of them, and I suck them in. It seems to get more difficult every year. This last semseter, I struggled with a couple who seemed intelligent, but couldn't absorb anything I brought to them. It's gotten to be more work to introduduce people to reality than to teach them what they're going to DO in it. We had a breakthrough and I credit the Arts and Crafts period in the US but won't bore you with that story.
I keep wanting to day this - Gary had this overt but genuine way to cut to the chase which might have seemed arrogant to anyone who hadn't read his posts regularly. In one thread, I read - "you should just do it the way I do it and...."
That was SO Gary. I never interacted with him personally, but read a lot of his posts. I don't think he ever meant to be overbearing, yet he was. When he was, it was powerful but unthreatening. He was a good man in spite of the abuse he let roll off his back and the fact that he showed up for more of it over and over, and asserted what he felt he could back up, over and over, is a testament and a lesson. I'll say it - he irritated me sometimes, but that was me, not him. What a guy. I'll miss seeing his posts.