Thinking that hexbear needs to absorb other communities to grow is a cannibal way of thinking. Hexbear should not seek to consume other communities. We should want other leftist communities to also grow, even if they are on reddit. Communities promoting leftism on reddit will have more outreach than consolidating them all on hexbear.

Growth in the community will come from positive engagement. Growth in the community will come from stability. Growth in the community will come from an absence of conflict. Growth in the community will come from shared goals and a shared vision. Growth in the community will come from solidarity.

Scolding the current users is making people leave the site. Conflicts make people leave the site. Conflicts make new members not join the site. Conflicts make people not tell their friends about the site. Website drama makes me personally not want to tell other people to use this site.

We should treat the website growth like growing a plant. A plant needs sunlight and water, nutrient rich soil, support structure and protection from pests, but also adequate space for expansion. Likewise hexbear growth needs positive user interactions, engaging content, active moderation that removes misinformation and bans wreckers, but also enough leniency that the majority of the user base doesn't feel suffocated.