I came here almost exactly 4 weeks ago.
There was no Spladle at the time.
What i found when i got here, much to my surprise, was a vastly welcoming, cognitively stimulating group of mature adults (in sence of mind quality, not physical age). I embraced my new community, and felt it was mostly embracing me.
Call me conceited if you like, but i consider myself to be of above average intelligence. I in no way consider myself a genius. I came, and i stayed, and i can think of at least 2 other members who joined around the same time I did who are also of above average intelligence. Yes, i've been here for a scant month. I realize my greenness, which one strong reason why i stayed out of this mess while Spladle was turning my playground into a battlefield on his now defunct thread. I did PM a few members, and discussed my grievences with them, with great civility and respect.
I spoke with members who were "for Spladle" and those who were "against Spladle." All of them really seemed to be concered with the same thing: preserving the integrity of this grand cyber-scape. Yet, while that thread was active, it hogged all of the energy that used to be applied toward genuine support and fun elsewhere. LPSG was, and in some ways still is, centered on one scary display of childish antics. All focus was on Spladle, and he reveled in it. To me this speaks not of a hero who was martyred for the greater good. I simply don't see it that way.
I don't disagree with Alex8. I think Spladle (Chase) has a lot of potential, and it's sad that he isn't using it here. But i fully feel that was Chase's choice, and not something that was forced on him by an opressive hierarchy of self-righteous oligarchs. "Potential" rarely evolves into "greatness" without learning to accept criticism. Chase was criticised. His form of artistic expression was questioned, and he chose not to reflect on that criticism. It was his choice. As a direct result of his choice there is now a gaping hole in the middle of my playground. I just hope it's not indelible.
I really saw a lot of "if i'm going down, i'm going to bring the whole ship down with me" bravado here. It worked. A lot of very intelligent people played into it. Chase may, very well have instigated the begining of an end. I hope that's not the case. I hope people are able to see this for what it was. It was one man's refusal to accept criticism, it was his refusal to change "I hope you kill yourself" into "I hope your computer sees the idiocy of your ways and kills itself lest it be party to your further displays of ineptitude." The way i see it, he was given a creative challenge, a chance to further evolve his wit, and he turned it down. Too bad for him, and too bad for us.