Thank you for the thoughtful reply and all the tags as well.
I do think your comment was far more for the OP than myself as I agree 100% with you and was already arguing somewhat in alignment with what you wrote.
As to the "Eternal September"... it's inevitable. I just came off of Lemm.ee after all. Everything exists within cycles. And I've gone through quite a few, online and in the real world, as I've worked with cultural associations to create events and formimg communities. And the same happens. It is what it is. And I don't feel resentful anymore for the disruption, specially towards the young or the newcomers to a platform or an event or space. If I ever do, is to the people who allow that to ruin what is there that we were enjoying all along. But I can't even say that I haven't been that person either. Because I have. Now I just know that when that is happening inside me is time to move on.
But I completely agree with you that both can co-exist and have their moment or even exist separately alongside one another. There's a place and a time for everything afer all. It's all about one seeking moments and not forcing anything onto anyone, and that includes oneself as well.
And In the case of most of the fediverse I do believe that is relatively easy to manage the distance between what one wants to find and what ones to avoid with the tools that we are given. At least for me it is. And the absence of an algorithm to raise engagement is the only way I accept to join any platform now. I want to see what I choose to see. The user has to be driving the experience.
Although, even with all these tools and the absence of an algorithm, anything regarding the U.S. these days definitely isn't so easy though. Not even for me as an European in Europe.
And I thank you for having the courage to step forward and moderate communities in the first place. I never have. It's one of the most delicate and difficult things to do in the digital world. Even the coders would say so. I've heard them say so. That it is easier to write code and build an app than it is to moderate the user base. I'm not a coder so I can't make that claim. But I've heard it first hand.
And by the way, stay safe over there in the U.S. What is happening there is terrifying to witness from here. I've seen this before in my lifetime, but never seen a descent as fast. It's spiraling at a speed that I've never wittnessed. In the big picture it has been happening for a very long time, but anyone who doesn't thing that what is happening is at the fastest rate now, it's either not paying attention or in denial.
So, stay safe.
I'm afraid you won't find it to be the norm anywhere, unfortunately. Online or offline.
I take what I can find.
But I do understand your frustration. Oh, how I do...