I've been struggling with how I needed to approach this, and "need" is the operative word. I realize I'm just a peon in a sea of peons but I believe the observations I'm about to share are important for the future of this community (although not necessarily for the software platform or devices).

As many recall I got a little stressed after Nokia eliminated my position. I was looking to redefine my role here and stumbled when faced with some surprising opposition to a project.

I only mention that because the episode made me realize I needed to focus on more important matters and so ITT faded into the back of my brain although I certainly missed the daily exchanges with you guys.

But this isn't about me.

Rather, it's about something I find disturbing now that I've returned. A polarization in this community, following a similar polarization in the council. And not for the good, either. And it's growing. Like a cancer.

Now, that sort of thing happens. That's why we have (grumble) democrats and republicans here in the US. And anyone watching the current partisan sniping in my homeland knows how ugly that can get.

Sadly, I'm seeing that same sort of ugliness in this virtual microsociety. A large part of it is due to drastic changes and growth pains. Hard to avoid the consequences of such. But from what I see the biggest driving factor is ego.

I want to mention names but I'm going to refrain. Anyone can follow discussions, note the pattern of Thanks, and see for themselves who and what I'm talking about. And I see one individual "thanking both sides of the fence" so I see him as an erstwhile peacemaker and not a cause of any ugliness.

I'm being intentionally obtuse because I want to elevate the discussion far above the muck in which it has heretofore wallowed. I want the petty sniping to stop, the sarcasm to stop, the one-upmanship to stop. I want us all to take deep breaths and remember we are mature adults. And that goes double for anyone who is purporting to represent this community. When you're in a position of leadership people naturally expect more from you. If you have discomfort with that, then I respectfully suggest that representation is not for you... much like it apparently is not for many of the representatives in US government.

Now, I'm not here to preach and then retreat into abject hypocrisy. I intend to walk the walk. But I think it's high time every single one of us examine our motives and ask some hard questions of ourselves. What are we hoping to accomplish here? What good is all the chest bumping? Do we want a cohesive community or a splintered one?

We're developing the latter. Either we stop it now or it becomes a deadly cancer.