Reflection is the key- you nailed it right there. Today's 'I want it all, right now' world is not really a good ground to grow strong roots as a Pagan. I remember waiting for my monographs to come in- I got them every two weeks, and the waiting was agony, but I re-read the older ones while I waited for the newer ones.

And overseas, we met in person- no Internet yet, and phones and mail were tricky- especially after the Farwander ad went out. People started missing mail, or finding their mail opened. (You do not have a guarantee of privacy in the military.)

I've pretty much totally ditched most of the online Pagan communities- because of the very things you talk about- overweening egotistical trolls, flame wars, Insta-Elders (or kids claiming to be Lord Muckety-muck), and unstable people. Mind you- we had our share of unstable people in real life, but they were easier to deal with.