No, it is not "life in the forums" that makes it sound passive and inevitable. When in fact it is individual people who make it that way. It is their doing, not some gauzy "life in the forums".
Plenty of people, way more than you would think, come here for information and help but lurk instead of participating simply because they don't want to be exposed to the attacks. Like just today ozzy62 went out of his way to slam me, even though he had to go far outside the original topic to do so and then in the end he shows he agrees! Yet somehow my comments are off base, while his are fine.
The situation is so bad I get a regular flow of people asking me questions. But they do so privately, not wanting to be exposed to such as these. Put in a fair chunk of time helping one yesterday.
Fine with me, I am happy to help. It is however a travesty to have people afraid to share information in public. This is all due to the same let me not get in trouble and say point of view that is extremely biased and hypocritical about what people can and cannot say.
You know it. They know it. We all know it.
So if you agree don't just say you agree. Words are cheap. That's why we denigrate it with tags like virtue signaling. Don't say you have virtue. Show actual virtue! When people make "life in the forums" unbearable, call them out. Report them, sure. But do more. Stand up and show exactly how they are wrong. Like I did ozzy62. He was flat out wrong, posting for no other reason than to attack me. Called him out. Can't stop him. But now it is clear to all those silent lurkers who is who. Who knows, they may not remain silent forever.
Meantime, things being what they are, I am happy to encourage them to ask me directly. Everyone who has can vouch for the value in that. Kind of value that could be found here, if only more individuals would stand up for it.