Am I a Coward or a Tortoise?

LJ has wobbled to its feet again, punch-drunk yet victorious. Alas, it doesn't do me much good, as my corner of the Internet has sunk into a torpor. I can't fault it, I suppose; it's not as though I've been particularly loquacious myself.

To be honest, I've found myself engaging in self-censorship. In the past, I would post ALL THE THOUGHTS because it brought relief from the silence and isolation that has pervaded my life for so long. It was cathartic, and it made me feel present in the world. Now I ask myself, "Is it worth it? Do I really want to spend energy writing this down? Does anybody care about my opinion of [insert issue/minor wanklet/news story here]?" If the answer is "No," then I often just let it go. The thoughts still rattle around inside my head, but they never make it past my fingertips.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, there has been far less stress and drama in my life since I started applying this checklist, but on the other, I feel like a coward, like I've let myself be silenced because I don't want to deal with any unpleasant consequences that might arise from my decision. Am I just being smarter, more circumspect, or have I had my spine broken by the louder voices in the room? God knows I don't want to be that braying ass who ruins the party for everyone else because their ego is so large that it has created its own vortex, but nor do I want to be that cowed weakling who cowers in the corner because I'm afraid of one more shout, one more raised hand. Am I doing this because it's the right choice for me, or because it's the easiest one? Does it matter, or am I being an oversensitive emo child?

And what does it say about me that I considered--briefly but all the same--flocking this post?