to your old self:

[SoftwareSlicer]

he did that quite a lot in lifeboat and even in more private spaces for friends i honestly appreciate it

i love a good yap

Yeah, My prior experience with Lifeboat is a very long story. While I have had some positive experiences associated with that platform especially with curating events and working around areas which were less bureaucratic and more community driven, I absolutely would not have recommended that network for my younger self especially from the perspective of the immense work I ended up doing on there under the guise of professional development and I stand firm to this day with why I ended up leaving. I worked and "partially volunteered" under five different organizational roles for their parent company while also developing internal software and working on a variety of interconnected projects over the span of nearly two years between September 3rd of 2023 and July 18th of 2025 all while being paid less than 200 US Dollars for my time.
Just with platform moderation, I ended up having handled and managed case files for precisely 7,322 unique Xbox Live users each with documented video and additional information archived and organized into a centralized internal database.
There were other deep foundational concerns I had regarding their labor practices, obfuscated team structures, and professional associations. Wouldn't be right for me to dive into all of that admittedly as some developments are still ongoing and I don't feel ready to cover the details on here or at this time.

View reply.

 

[SoftwareSlicer]

I am too busy doing regrettable things on larger membercount servers bro

Personally, It's not regrettable if you're still making memories. lol

View reply.

 

[Angi_MSG]

Yeah, My prior experience with Lifeboat is a very long story. While I have had some positive experiences associated with that platform especially with curating events and working around areas which were less bureaucratic and more community driven, I absolutely would not have recommended that network for my younger self especially from the perspective of the immense work I ended up doing on there under the guise of professional development and I stand firm to this day with why I ended up leaving. I worked and "partially volunteered" under five different organizational roles for their parent company while also developing internal software and working on a variety of interconnected projects over the span of nearly two years between September 3rd of 2023 and July 18th of 2025 all while being paid less than 200 US Dollars for my time.
Just with platform moderation, I ended up having handled and managed case files for precisely 7,322 unique Xbox Live users each with documented video and additional information archived and organized into a centralized internal database.
There were other deep foundational concerns I had regarding their labor practices, obfuscated team structures, and professional associations. Wouldn't be right for me to dive into all of that admittedly as some developments are still ongoing and I don't feel ready to cover the details on here or at this time.

hey Slicer I love that I can recognize you being back here just by the length of the message
Can you start doing TLDR again?

View reply.

 

[SoftwareSlicer]

hey Slicer I love that I can recognize you being back here just by the length of the message
Can you start doing TLDR again?

Sure, I'll provide those accordingly.

Forums are always a great place to cause chaos as long as everyone else understands and enjoys the chaos. lol

Personally, I don't know in retrospect if I would have been involved purely in platform moderation although I would have told myself to keep up that analytical approach and motivational drive I had for this community not only for this space but for the bigger goals too. I would tell myself that nothing is "all or nothing", That there is always time to seek change in my own ways, and encourage my younger self to recognize the value of my prior uneasiness with sharing my thoughts on the internet but to also recognize the immense potential for where that can lead even if my steps often seem like leaps that feel shakier than they truly are.

I watched through a couple old live streams I did for the platform and frankly, I have no idea how on earth I could have that much energy or enthusiasm condensed so quickly even if some of that was delivery which was more representative of my online persona at the time rather than my actual personality. My production quality back then was somewhat atrocious but oddly charming in a sentimental "I don't even remember making this, I was thinking of solutions to problems which I never faced." kind of way.
Some things though haven't changed that much, The way in which I articulated myself still has remained fairly consistent, and the same could also be said with my broader perspectives and values albeit reinforced in ways and somewhat more jaded and cynical now than before.

I'd still consider myself as someone learning to recognize their real worth across many different niches although I've grown and learned so much more through college, through different real and online communities of people, and through other aspects of shared experiences. There are so many things I've done professionally which I would have dreamed to be able to do when I was younger and I'm glad that I've not only been achieving these goals but continuing to explore with ambition and even a little whimsy.


I'm honestly quite glad that I never did a face reveal and that I tended to be generally pretty sociable on the surface but closed-off when it came to personal information online, Some people in those spaces were frankly terrible but it was definitely a real learning experience for sure.


So true though. I feel like the internet really doesn't encourage for people to actually express who they are or how they feel about their spaces, communities, or broader experiences in that sort of way anymore due to centralization and such. Even if that sort of expression was handled by many through those profile pictures and name changes which are quite amusing and whimsical in retrospect. Like there's this notion of individuality present when communication online requires deliberation and intentionality which I don't feel is particularly common outside of decentralized platforms through the Fediverse, Fluxer, and other parts of the independent and open web outside of Big Tech and the centralized empires we know and endure today. lol


Oh my gosh, Congratulations on getting married! I may have gotten a little carried away with my quick post here but I definitely agree that there are these unspoken opportunities and incredible levels of growth that only really work if you're part of a community that gives back what you put in. BrokenLens felt like an exception in my eyes from many other platforms to this day due to how it presented a unique and tightknit atmosphere for those types of connections to truly grow.
Thank you guys for continuing to read my literature.

tldr: I found it surprising how much I've learned as a person lately even if it's definitely an uphill battle for real but also how much remains the same.
I've apparently cooked up many projects here which I've found quite remarkable and absurd in hindsight like the live streams. Glad that I've been mostly anonymous online even if connection here fostered my own authenticity and growth.
The wider internet doesn't feel as open or authentic since BrokenLens closed outside of niche spaces partially as forums require intentionality.
Actually huge W for Pine getting married though. BrokenLens was peak and helpful for so many people due to being tightknit and wholesome.

Yeah, My prior experience with Lifeboat is a very long story. While I have had some positive experiences associated with that platform especially with curating events and working around areas which were less bureaucratic and more community driven, I absolutely would not have recommended that network for my younger self especially from the perspective of the immense work I ended up doing on there under the guise of professional development and I stand firm to this day with why I ended up leaving. I worked and "partially volunteered" under five different organizational roles for their parent company while also developing internal software and working on a variety of interconnected projects over the span of nearly two years between September 3rd of 2023 and July 18th of 2025 all while being paid less than 200 US Dollars for my time.
Just with platform moderation, I ended up having handled and managed case files for precisely 7,322 unique Xbox Live users each with documented video and additional information archived and organized into a centralized internal database.
There were other deep foundational concerns I had regarding their labor practices, obfuscated team structures, and professional associations. Wouldn't be right for me to dive into all of that admittedly as some developments are still ongoing and I don't feel ready to cover the details on here or at this time.

tldr: Lifeboat had some interesting experiences but wasn't an ethical or worthwhile investment of my time and labor imo, Plus feel esp bad for how other people were affected. Pro tip: Don't ever "volunteer" for a for-profit company because that might not actually be a legal practice.
Fair Labor Standards Act and relevant legislation is very important to keep in mind but also I'm not a lawyer and that's not legal advice.

View reply.

 

[derseph]

I'd definitely tell myself to express myself as a kid more. Who knows the friends i made here would come in handy in like 5 years from that time (in which 2-5 of them were). My old self would probably s♥♥♥ himself if he were to know that id eventually meet someone from this place irl and being a good friend to him after a few years

Lots of regrettable things that i wanted to prevent but id say its necessary for my character development so its better to refer them as "canon event" Instead

View reply.

 

[Proximity]

Man, don’t cheat and lie to your closest friends about it every day just scrolled through all my old messages here and good god.. I am so sorry to those I lied to HAHA that’s the evil of being a teen

View reply.

 

[edwjusti]

I miss hanging out with @Ray_Palmer_Atom and doing nothing but talking in the lobby, there’s something nostalgic to that xD

View reply.

 

[Tilok342]

since nearly EVERYONE made some life choices in the forums/server that they regretted, i thought i’d ask an entertaining question lol

if you met yourself PRE-SHUTDOWN (could be whether or not that version of you has already been informed of the impending shutdown), what will you tell them
can be spoilers for the future, advice, telling them to stop posting those weird messages that all of forums can see, etc.

i’d lowkey tell my old self to PLEASE block some specific people that really weren’t good for me and to reconsider posting some cringe messages that i will 100% regret in 3 years LOL along with just not doing some things cuz in the long run i discovered i was just being an idiot
and to also try to connect with certain people more because i had a brokenlens friend pass away a little over a year after the shutdown and it made me sad that i never talked to her as much as i should have even though she tried to initiate some conversations with me

Its so good to see and seeing old myself in the forums how my journey was different and with jokes a lot… (Yeah especially #Sarcasm which I regret the most and embarrassing)

But I’m glad everyone is here and happy to see their old nostalgias back to back!

View reply.

 

[utopiia]

i’d lowkey tell my old self to PLEASE block some specific people that really weren’t good for me and to reconsider posting some cringe messages that i will 100% regret in 3 years LOL along with just not doing some things cuz in the long run i discovered i was just being an idiot
and to also try to connect with certain people more because i had a brokenlens friend pass away a little over a year after the shutdown and it made me sad that i never talked to her as much as i should have even though she tried to initiate some conversations with me

definitely have a lot of things to say and consider, but i'll try to organize my thoughts the best that i can

will definitely agree regarding safety on meeting and talking to specific people—while majority of the community was great, there were a few people out there who were much of a bad influence to my younger self; i wish i could encourage my younger self to block and avoid these people rather than keep engaging—this is actually a frequent issue i deal with to this day in other servers i moderate when users forward reports of getting weird messages or harassment; i constantly encourage these users to block/ignore and report once we help them with the issue, but for some reason some of these users refuse to block/ignore like '???' crazy to see how we've come to a full circle with the younger generations

i will admit, when reviewing some of the older forum posts and what not, it definitely was a uh, humbling experience—this server/forums was greatly responsible into giving me a moment to reflect and consider what i needed to improve as a person, and how i can proceed with that needed change; if it wasn't for this server, i actually wouldn't have volunteered for the other featured minecraft server, the hive, a place that i still volunteer even if they resigned their former 'helper' role—i've had lots of fun engaging with the community even though i am quite busy these days regarding with school and other real-life endeavors!

but i will advise to my younger self that kindness, truth, and compassion always prevails, even during the darkest and our lowest points in our lives; these traits are quite infectious, but a good kind of way—even if some people don't tend to show much reaction to it or say it doesn't make much of a difference, it really does! you never know how much you can impact someone's perspective or attitude if you spread compassion

my memory is VAGUE but i do remember you had one of those “black pfp phase” moments at some point and some parts about personal life struggles i have known yes LOL

canon event for everyone online honestly

feels weird to say but i actually did talk to someone who changed their pfp to black the other day—it was honestly surprising and awkward to see that people still do this, but it has come to my attention that it's mostly younger people that still do this

for people who are dealing with any struggles at the moment, please don't shut yourself out, there are many people out there who truly care about you and willing to reach out to you for anything you might be dealing with; even if they might not offer any solutions that you're looking for, they can still be a listening ear and offer compassion; for any personal struggles or emergencies, you are more than welcome and highly encouraged to reach out to your designated local helpline as these are people trained to handle these types of cases—other than that, you are not alone, and you're doing great!

View reply.

 

[Dz81]

I remember a lot from brlns but some of it I’m like pause….. dz.. told you wut…. You knew…? I struggled? Thinking ?!()?!)

Wait no I just told her y’all met I promise. Nothing more nothing more. This was also like forever ago

Forums are always a great place to cause chaos as long as everyone else understands and enjoys the chaos. lol

Personally, I don't know in retrospect if I would have been involved purely in platform moderation although I would have told myself to keep up that analytical approach and motivational drive I had for this community not only for this space but for the bigger goals too. I would tell myself that nothing is "all or nothing", That there is always time to seek change in my own ways, and encourage my younger self to recognize the value of my prior uneasiness with sharing my thoughts on the internet but to also recognize the immense potential for where that can lead even if my steps often seem like leaps that feel shakier than they truly are.

I watched through a couple old live streams I did for the platform and frankly, I have no idea how on earth I could have that much energy or enthusiasm condensed so quickly even if some of that was delivery which was more representative of my online persona at the time rather than my actual personality. My production quality back then was somewhat atrocious but oddly charming in a sentimental "I don't even remember making this, I was thinking of solutions to problems which I never faced." kind of way.
Some things though haven't changed that much, The way in which I articulated myself still has remained fairly consistent, and the same could also be said with my broader perspectives and values albeit reinforced in ways and somewhat more jaded and cynical now than before.

I'd still consider myself as someone learning to recognize their real worth across many different niches although I've grown and learned so much more through college, through different real and online communities of people, and through other aspects of shared experiences. There are so many things I've done professionally which I would have dreamed to be able to do when I was younger and I'm glad that I've not only been achieving these goals but continuing to explore with ambition and even a little whimsy.


I'm honestly quite glad that I never did a face reveal and that I tended to be generally pretty sociable on the surface but closed-off when it came to personal information online, Some people in those spaces were frankly terrible but it was definitely a real learning experience for sure.


So true though. I feel like the internet really doesn't encourage for people to actually express who they are or how they feel about their spaces, communities, or broader experiences in that sort of way anymore due to centralization and such. Even if that sort of expression was handled by many through those profile pictures and name changes which are quite amusing and whimsical in retrospect. Like there's this notion of individuality present when communication online requires deliberation and intentionality which I don't feel is particularly common outside of decentralized platforms through the Fediverse, Fluxer, and other parts of the independent and open web outside of Big Tech and the centralized empires we know and endure today. lol


Oh my gosh, Congratulations on getting married! I may have gotten a little carried away with my quick post here but I definitely agree that there are these unspoken opportunities and incredible levels of growth that only really work if you're part of a community that gives back what you put in. BrokenLens felt like an exception in my eyes from many other platforms to this day due to how it presented a unique and tightknit atmosphere for those types of connections to truly grow.
Thank you guys for continuing to read my literature.

Yeahhhh I feel like we just unfroze Slicer from being frozen in a giant chunk of ice the last 4 years cuz clearly nothing has changed

Sure, I'll provide those accordingly.


tldr: I found it surprising how much I've learned as a person lately even if it's definitely an uphill battle for real but also how much remains the same.
I've apparently cooked up many projects here which I've found quite remarkable and absurd in hindsight like the live streams. Glad that I've been mostly anonymous online even if connection here fostered my own authenticity and growth.
The wider internet doesn't feel as open or authentic since BrokenLens closed outside of niche spaces partially as forums require intentionality.
Actually huge W for Pine getting married though. BrokenLens was peak and helpful for so many people due to being tightknit and wholesome.


tldr: Lifeboat had some interesting experiences but wasn't an ethical or worthwhile investment of my time and labor imo, Plus feel esp bad for how other people were affected. Pro tip: Don't ever "volunteer" for a for-profit company because that might not actually be a legal practice.
Fair Labor Standards Act and relevant legislation is very important to keep in mind but also I'm not a lawyer and that's not legal advice.

Can we have a TLDR for the TLDR please

View reply.

 

[Ray_Palmer_Atom]

I miss hanging out with @Ray_Palmer_Atom and doing nothing but talking in the lobby, there’s something nostalgic to that xD

Wooo 2016 was genuinely a lifetime ago and I loved hanging out with you back then too! I also feel obligated to use "xD" on the forums even though I literally don't use it in messages anywhere else xD

I haven't got time to give a full response to the original question but this whole thread is really lovely and it's so nice reading everyone's responses

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[Shive]

I’d tell myself to break a few more rules and be myself

@Icy_Hatake idk if you remember but I enjoyed you muting me at one point

I also would tell myself that feeling alone bc old friends left and just not rlly knowing the newer players wouldn’t really matter as much and that there is literally so much there to life

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[MCFAZfoz]

i would tell my old self to be more kind to the people here, to not be annoying, to respect everyone’s privacy, and to not lose my **** over a digital rank that only gives me a colored name in a minecraft server (im sorry bro i cant move on from that like why )

View reply.

 

[_xMaegann]

I'd definitely tell myself to express myself as a kid more. Who knows the friends i made here would come in handy in like 5 years from that time (in which 2-5 of them were). My old self would probably s♥♥♥ himself if he were to know that id eventually meet someone from this place irl and being a good friend to him after a few years

Lots of regrettable things that i wanted to prevent but id say its necessary for my character development so its better to refer them as "canon event" Instead

awww that’s nice that you got to meet someone from this community irl!! it’s literally so cool to see how connections from the small community have extended into the real world

View reply.

 

[_xMaegann]

Man, don’t cheat and lie to your closest friends about it every day just scrolled through all my old messages here and good god.. I am so sorry to those I lied to HAHA that’s the evil of being a teen

LMAO that’s so real, the teenage arc is really insane for some of us

View reply.

 

[_xMaegann]

I miss hanging out with @Ray_Palmer_Atom and doing nothing but talking in the lobby, there’s something nostalgic to that xD

lobby yap sessions are SOOOO nostalgic honestly, from my experience it’s hard to ever do the same thing in other servers due to no private chats in most bedrock servers and the fact that there’s much more ragebaiters in the lobbies that will insult you just for trying to have a conversation with someone in public chat (and the filters because these servers just won’t tell me if my message sent or not )

although it did annoy some people who would be trying to play a dead game just to see the people are just having a yap session, just sitting in those dead lobbies with friends were comforting memories regardless

View reply.

 

[IAmZathan]

since nearly EVERYONE made some life choices in the forums/server that they regretted, i thought i’d ask an entertaining question lol

if you met yourself PRE-SHUTDOWN (could be whether or not that version of you has already been informed of the impending shutdown), what will you tell them
can be spoilers for the future, advice, telling them to stop posting those weird messages that all of forums can see, etc.

i’d lowkey tell my old self to PLEASE block some specific people that really weren’t good for me and to reconsider posting some cringe messages that i will 100% regret in 3 years LOL along with just not doing some things cuz in the long run i discovered i was just being an idiot
and to also try to connect with certain people more because i had a brokenlens friend pass away a little over a year after the shutdown and it made me sad that i never talked to her as much as i should have even though she tried to initiate some conversations with me

I actually forgot about that time I went on your account for some time and helped you reach 10,000 Team SkyWars wins at some point, unbelievable.

View reply.

 

[_xMaegann]

Its so good to see and seeing old myself in the forums how my journey was different and with jokes a lot… (Yeah especially #Sarcasm which I regret the most and embarrassing)

But I’m glad everyone is here and happy to see their old nostalgias back to back!

Frr this place is literally a time capsule
i definitely said some things i wish i never said because those were embarrassing but overall it’s so nice to see all these old interactions and the people we used to talk to so often before the shutdown

View reply.

 

[IAmZathan]

since nearly EVERYONE made some life choices in the forums/server that they regretted, i thought i’d ask an entertaining question lol

if you met yourself PRE-SHUTDOWN (could be whether or not that version of you has already been informed of the impending shutdown), what will you tell them
can be spoilers for the future, advice, telling them to stop posting those weird messages that all of forums can see, etc.

i’d lowkey tell my old self to PLEASE block some specific people that really weren’t good for me and to reconsider posting some cringe messages that i will 100% regret in 3 years LOL along with just not doing some things cuz in the long run i discovered i was just being an idiot
and to also try to connect with certain people more because i had a brokenlens friend pass away a little over a year after the shutdown and it made me sad that i never talked to her as much as i should have even though she tried to initiate some conversations with me

To answer this question, I would just tell the old me to shut up and keep his mouth shut. Stay away from BrokenLens drama and avoid starting it. I would just tell him to not say anything I know that he will regret when he grows up some more. I REGRET MORE THAN MANY THINGS THAT I USE TO SAY TO EVERYBODY. I THINK I GOT COMPELLED.

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[Tilok342]

To answer this question, I would just tell the old me to shut up and keep his mouth shut. Stay away from BrokenLens drama and avoid starting it. I would just tell him to not say anything I know that he will regret when he grows up some more. I REGRET MORE THAN MANY THINGS THAT I USE TO SAY TO EVERYBODY. I THINK I GOT COMPELLED.

Fr… Ronnie McDonnie be spawning in BrokenLens Forums!!!

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