... every system decays .. you were lucky to have it caught the internet at right time .. when by design it induced innovation and freedom ...

Over period , just like any other thing , it became more of means to control . For example , there are endless resources on youtube but now it also has an algorithm to push you into a rabbit hole - which means more polarization and finally a violent outbreak ..

The good news is - a new internet is being built right now .. #nostr ... this is where early adopters will find the same values (and vibes) that you got from irc :-)