Amen. This is a particular peeve of mine as well. Those involved seem to be having fun, but it feels clique-y. Hated that in high school, and it puts me right back there.

But like you, Loren, I have also been introduced to many funny, smart writers on Medium. Some I deliberately search out when the inscrutable algorithm starts hiding them on me. They feel like friends, and I want to know what they're thinking about today. You're one of them, and it's always a pleasure to catch up.