I have not been here very long but you do have a point. Many a
forum has taken an odd turn without any regard for the original topic.
Although there is still some good natured and witty sniping, it can be smoke
screened by the arguments and tit for tat bickering in the threads.
Luckily I have met many great members whom I respect and aspire to
play with and learn from. You are not the first to open a discussion about
the change in attitude and respect to fellow members, and sometimes
the total disregard for the game that brought us here.
As the membership grows the talent pool will weaken, in the games and
forums. I am not qualified to write about chess strategy or history. As a
result I make conversation in subjects not related directly to chess. But
it is my love of the game that brings me here, and now the members I
enjoy interacting with. Sometimes the difference lies in the basic
respect for the game and the other members we come in contact with.
. On another note, obviously we are going to get a much more diverse group of people as chess.com expands, including those that care about certain things more than chess? (I dunno if this can be confirmed but a recent study pointed out the possibility that such people exist). But do not fret, my theory of Chess.comian Darwinism will result in the eventual destruction of all weaker chess beings including myself and only leave supergrandmasters...and erik (he'll eventually turn into Rybka though so it's all good). 
when chess.com was about the love of chess, and people.Not about points, nor about beating people. And now taking a look at things, people ignoring everything, bringing other people up in topics, and bringing up their own lives up a refrance points. Anyone who thinks I'm blabering about nothing, rember that I was here before most people here and yet somehow, most people left... I left because I became boared not because I was hated. Now a year later it's nothing like it was before. I personly hate it... anyone else "old" like me notace anything?