it was funny going to the
anthems at the ark recently, there were faces there i hadn't seen since going to the ark back in the day, and we'd be looking at each other going !

..
re: friendliness etc, remember also these days it's more 'mainstream' to go clubbing so there are going to be more people out who don't really understand the vibe, or see the specialness in it.. but then it's up to us that do to help them into the fold

like i said in another thread, back at the beginning you had to make an effort to find out about and get to the parties/clubs, so it was naturally more a common bonding experience, especially in comparison to the alternatives on offer at the time, and no media coverage except in the venerable Core or from import UK mags..
now that's it's a much larger market, there is a greater cross-section of the community where it's not such a lifestyle than just something that you do on the weekends and long weekends.
i mean how many clubbers these days would make the effort to go out 4-5 nights a week?
i think it's just a different mentality, neither better or worse, just progression into different forms i guess..
to get slightly technical, most of us oldies would be classified as X gens, which according to some generational reports are more independent than those older [more authority based] or younger [more tribal], which paradoxically it would seem may have led us to be more cohesive as a group of 'individuals', this whole culture being about expression of the true self [i believe].. wheras the newer generation may still be keeping to their tribe mentality [ie not mixing with others out of their tribe as easily]..
hehe anyway, i'm rambling now so i'll stop.