I understood where Susan was going with this one. John, it looks like you're jumping to a conclusion that discussions with people you don't know personally aren't productive. Look at all of the dedicated online fora dealing with PTSD or other mental health issues - Freud's "talking cure" need not be confined to a closed room one-on-one discussion. The simple act of sharing can help others therapeutically, especially if it generates a discussion. And Americans aren't the only ones living their lives in public in this day and age. Revolutions are happening around the world right now because formerly repressed individuals are able to finally live in public (facebook and twitter may have their silliness problems, but they have been a gift to populations where public gatherings were frowned upon or suppressed making it hard to compare notes or get the word out.)

Mudcatters who have experienced fires have often started their own threads or participated in those started on their behalf. We have some very private individuals who discuss bare minimum of details, simply to let friends and family know they're okay, end of story. Others have shared the process of rebuilding and posted photos on their facebook pages or elsewhere.

SRS