To be fair after I got cable internet and was Always Online, I remember AIM was still good. We just need away messages again, a one-click setting for messenger apps that auto-replies with awful song lyrics and auto turns your icon to blank black.
No I definitely don't use humor and/or sarcasm to deflect discomfort.
Unrelated to everything around this situation I had my first therapy session recently.
I think about this constantly. In my particular case I specifically am definitely annoying and unwanted by the people around me, but you? You should reach out to that person. You should definitely make the first move and socialize because you'll probably brighten their day. But I probably shouldn't.
Dunno if it was the greatest but the era of LiveJournal,IRC, and message boards was probably the peak of feeling community online.
Or I was just a teenager.