For what it's worth ....
Here's what I learned in 5+ years of FFXI.
1. No one should play the same game for 5 years. Ever. Including me.
2. There's a lot of reasons why people play(ed) FFXI. Almost none of the reasons are of a redeeming quality.
3. The players that you think are your friends, are not. But they will pretend to be, as long as they stand to benefit in some way.
4. The FFXI world is filled with people that are insecure and small-minded. They will do their best to bring you down to their level.
5. No matter how much fun you think you're having, FFXI is a waste of your breath, your time, and your life.
6. In FFXI, you can go out of your way a dozen times to help someone, and receive little more than a "thank you". But if you cross that player, even slightly, just once, they will turn on you in a fierce way.
7. Players in FFXI strive to make themselves feel better by demeaning other players at any opportunity; it's the culture that FFXI promotes.
8. If you've ever considered quitting FFXI, just do it. Digital friends are not real friends.
9. If your post count in these forums is really high, you probably need to get a life.
10. If you read this and reply with anything similar to "QQ", "Waaaaahmbulance", or "Drama-llama" .... then congratulations, you're the reason why this post is needed.
Farewell, FFXI.