What is The WELL?

Welcome to a gathering that's like none other — remarkably uninhibited, intelligent and iconoclastic.

The regulars in this place include noted authors, programmers, journalists, activists and other creative people who swap info, test their convictions and banter with one another in wide-ranging conversations.

The WELL, originally the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, provides a literate watering hole for some articulate and unpretentious thinkers. [more about The WELL...]

Fresh Conversations

Books, Bag Lunch, Bus!
Parents share stories and strategies as the school year begins. (Members only)

Stolen Childhood?
Are overprotective parents retarding their children's emotional development? (Guests welcome)

Election Year Family Values
Should the children of the nominees be exempted from political mudslinging? (Members only)

More discussions...

Membership is not for everyone: partly because we are non-anonymous here. This means that as a member, you know the names of the people you're talking with and they know you, leading to real relationships. Here's how to decide whether The WELL is for you, and whether you're for The WELL. [more on how to join...]

Mary Mackey, novelist & poet
I've been going to The WELL almost every day since 1992. I check out News for thoughtful, intelligent discussion about what's going on in the world; Health for advice on everything from pneumonia to hangnails; and Jokes, which often makes me laugh so hard I spit tea on the screen. [more recommendations...]

Use the search box below to explore those goodies that are open for everybody to enjoy. Find FAQs, sites created by members and a few topics being discussed out front. (Members log in at the top of the page to the acclaimed forums on the inside.)

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