Hey, I was an otaku. God knows I had my share of flaming passion and vehement opinions. Back in the day, I could rant with the best of them, spouting vaguely reasonable opinions on just about anything. I'd actually wind up defending the honor of my favorite anime characters. I mean, really. I'd see some offending web page, and get worked into a nearly physical rage.

Yup. If anyone understands the urge to rant, it's me.

But at some point, I just got tired. It's not as if I have less passion in me, it's just that I realized that whatever this emotional energy was, it would be better directed elsewhere.

So I still occasionally flame. I still rant. I'll type up exquisitely-worded works of angry prose, growl at the screen for a while. . . and then delete the whole thing, unposted. Why? Because, honestly, do I need to get somebody mad at me? I could just as easily generate a mildly-stated illustration of opinion, that might be more likely to change minds while simultaneously being far less likely to make me any ideological enemies.

And the best part is, I don't have to get worked up into a flaming ball of righteous indignation.

In the meantime, my passion gets used for drumming, writing, noding, school, whatever. And the world is a happier place.

Sadly, it's true that I don't always keep to this ideal. But I do a much better job than I used to.