Ben, you'll be missed.
But, I get it. As somewhat less frequent of a poster who still takes broad interest in these forums, I've often found myself accidentally sticking my foot into it - and by that I mean, making a post, and seeing a response from someone who I often disagree with, but who brings a lot to the table (i.e., a Reapsta, or Stadler), and thinking "damn, there was no way I was going to keep up with that, now I'm going to silently disappear and one of those guys will think I just didn't read or care about what they said."
I've been on the flipside. I had another account here back in the day with many, many posts. I responded to everyone, participated in debates and arguments, got way too invested. It didn't go well for me, in the end. When I decided to return to the forums, I did so knowing that I was going to keep it way more casual than I had in the past. But every now and then, I accidently step into it again.
Ben, you bring a lot to the table, and I am sure that I am not alone in cherishing your unique perspective. Please stick around. Maybe you can just take a break from some of the heavier, more divisive topics, and rather focus instead on the interests you share with many posters here.