It's because they think that they are "popular" and they want to be "popular" too. So just ignore the world.

Dear Anonymoose,

That's a tough one. But think why you are depressed. Can you control it? Ex. A friend is giving you a hard time. If you're good enough friends and you value them, then tell them! If you start with, "I'm telling you this because I trust you" or something like that, it will set a positive mood. If you don't mind losing this person as a friend, stay with people who will support you. They're less likely to pick on you in front of other people. Also, do this:

Mean Person: You're so stupid!

You:  You're right, the weather is nice today.

Mean Person:Uh, no. I said you were stupid.

You: Oh this old thing, I got it at Marshalls.

Mean Person:I don't think you understand,I called you stupid.

You: Yeah, it was only $9.25

Mean Person: Umm...:/ 

And if you can't control the situation, then ask an adult who may be able to. Other than that: Think happy thoughts? My CAPTCHA said toad. Maybe buying a pet toad will solve the problem. Great advice Mr.Cappington!

I'll do my best to give you my advice, and I'm also going to voice my own opinion on the same matter here.  Also, I’m going to talk to you like an adult.  If you get offended, I’m sorry, but the real world isn’t always kind, it can be mean and cold.  I will be very polite about it though.  Gah, this got long fast.

One thing that jumps right out at me is, if these people aren't talking specifically to you, or about you, when they talk about "Oldies" never posting, try not to take offense, they probably don't even mean you.  If they do talk specifically about you, and you are still very or at least semi active, then you could reply politely that yes you are still around, and you could also mention that it hurts your feelings when people just assume you're not around.

People tend to miss what isn't there, and talk about it, rather than acknowledging what is still there.  Let's say you are used to get a certain sweet or something at a specific time each day.  You go into the same store every day to buy that sweet.  Then one day you arrive to find out they no longer carry it!  You never acknowledged how much you enjoyed getting that sweet every day, you took it for granted, but now that it's gone you go to the manager of the store and complain.  You go to your friends and complain.  Because it's no longer there, you miss it.

Another thing is, and I really hate to say it, please don't take offense, but perhaps you're being a bit too needy.  Perhaps you need to take a step back from the situation and see if what you really want is to be "popular" among these peers.  Or if you have a chip on your shoulder from people "ignoring" you without really meaning to.  A lot of times people don't always mean what they say, and a lot of times things can be misinterpreted.  I could also be seeing this entirely wrong, and I'm sorry if I offended you.

Now, down to your question about how to leave graciously, if you actually want to.  The first step with this is to decide whether or not you actually want to leave.  If you think you'll come back occasionally, maybe four or five times a month or so, then say so.  Say you're not leaving entirely, that you'll come on every once in awhile, but you will not be as active as before.  If you decide that you are actually leaving for good, and that you'll never post again, then say you're leaving for good.  And mean it.  If you say you're going to do something, do it.  Don't say something and then come back the next day and say 'nevermind, I'm staying'.  If you don't want to see people complaining about you leaving, and trying to guilt trip you into staying, then don't come back and look at your post.  It's guaranteed that if you post that you're leaving, someone will ask you to stay, someone will get all pouty faced on you.  So if you really don't want to see those peoples posts, don't come back to read it.  

To me, at least with your last line, “I'm considering just slipping off cuz -- it's not like they care. If they did care, they would include me, respect me, and care for me and notice if I left.“ , it seems as if the guilt tripping is going each way.  If you want people to care, if you want to be respected, don’t guilt trip, don’t whine and complain when people don’t acknowledge your every small whim.  If you wish to be respected, respect others, try to put yourself in other people's shoes.

So, if you don’t actually care what people say, if you really don’t want to stay anymore, and if you don’t want to give anyone the chance at guilt tripping you, then do exactly that.  Leave without saying anything.  Nobody will hold it against you, they’ll probably wonder what happened, but life goes on.  And if you are getting so many negative thoughts and feelings because of this site, it would probably be better to just leave.

If you just say you're leaving to get attention, and come back hoping people will pay more attention to you, sorry, it doesn't work that way.  It's selfish.  Don't do it. People won’t give you more attention simply because you didn’t leave.

About people not listening to you, that frustrates me at times too, but you can’t control how people will react and you can’t make them listen.  So there’s really not much you can do about them not listening to you. Just learn to understand that people don't always listen.

So, I believe your actual question was how to leave without people moaning and guilt tripping and complaining.  The only real way to do that would be to leave without posting anything saying you’re leaving.  If you say you’re leaving, then people will cry, people will try to get you to stay.  If you don’t want to do that, if you don’t want to leave without saying you’re leaving, you’ll have to grow some thick skin.  You’ll have to be able to ignore what people say, or like I said earlier, you can post you’re leaving and then not come back to look at the comments.

Here’s a little example of a way to express that you don’t wish for anyone to try to get you to stay, though they probably will anyway.

Hey guys!  It’s been a fun ride, and I’ve really enjoyed the time I have spent here on this site, but the time has come for my life to move on, and it’s moving away from here.  Please don’t try and get me to stay, I’ve made up my mind and don’t want to have sad feelings about leaving.  I’d like to leave happy and not hurt.  Thanks for all the memories!  Goodbye!  

Now for my little spiel on the “Oldies” of the CB, but more specifically, how people on the CB treat them.  Point number one, they are not idols, don’t idolize them.  Point two, they are people just like everyone else, just like you, just like me.  Just because they’ve been on this site for awhile doesn’t mean that they are gods.  Point three, it hurts everyone else’s feelings when you idolize these few people.  We’re here too, and we don’t like feeling inferior.  Point four, don’t make a huge hullabaloo when/if they decide to leave.  It’s their choice to and they wouldn’t say they were leaving unless they wanted to.  Don’t try and get them to stay by whining and complaining, no one enjoys that.  

Now, after I’ve said that here’s things that are still fine to do, you can admire people!  You can say you enjoy reading the things they post.  But please don’t say things like, “They’re better than so-and-so.”, be polite, be courteous, and always think before you speak.  If you like the way someone writes, or creates characters, or anything, then give specifics.  Say something like, “Gee, I really admire the way Holly writes dialogue, she makes if flow very well.”  Now, in my opinion, people have extremely thin skin these days and get offended way too easily.  Seriously, stop looking for a reason to be offended.

Yeah, my long drawn out help.  I hope it actually helps, and I am sorry if I inadvertently offended you, or anyone else, in any way, shape, or form.

Are you talking about CB???? 

I agree with Anony-Musing. If this website causes you so much misery, just leave and don't look back. Simply make a not-overly-dramatic post saying that you're leaving (you don't even have to say why!) and leave. Don't check the comments on the post. Just post it, delete your web history, and go.

(captcha says GOEE. pretty sure that's a sign from the captcha gods.) 

Oh, and, Humanoid- I'd probably notice if you left. I consider myself the somewhat "hawk of the CB" and try to notice things like that. I don't think others do because half the CBers listed in the "Missing CBers" thread aren't even missing. I'm not going to guilt-trip you because, even though I'm sometimes forceful and eloquent to twist people in my direction (Basically manipulative, just not in a really bad way) I won't twist you.