When I do ham radio at amateur radio station W9BRD, I pretend.

I pretend that the radio amateur on the other end of each on-air contact is actually interested in Radio for its own sake, and not as a means to external validation through socialization, competition, and awards.

I pretend that the radio amateur on the other end of each contact actually knows at least the rudiments of how electronic and radio circuits, transmission lines, and antennas work.

I pretend that amateur radio is not well on its way to becoming just another channel over which computers communicate as their increasingly-disinterested-in-Radio owners look on.

I pretend that the radio amateur on the other end of each contact is also enthralled by propagational and variable-presence-of-other-signals effects that make communication via radio magical for humans and problematic for machines.

I pretend that the radio amateur on the other end of each contact also prefers to be the modem.

I pretend that the radio amateur on the other end of each contact is committed to building immunity to squandering should-be-on-the-radio-or-at-the-bench-or-fidding-with-an-antenna time to opining, arguing, and posturing about ham radio in online ham-radio fora -- the place where interest and participation in Radio for its own sake ultimately go to die.

It's fun to pretend. If I meet you on the ham-radio air, let's pretend together.