I would argue this forum has plenty of character. Perhaps a bit too much. Many people come here because it allows them to break outside of the confined status quo of socially accepted behavior.
It is more often than not a forum for people to explore sides of themselves that they would otherwise need to suppress and in many cases, and in many cases substitute their true selves for the character they've created here (one of the reasons people create puppets) a method of reinventing themselves to try out new persona's.
It's a dangerous thing to be genuine in the shark tank. It's much preferred to be on the attack at least that's the culture that is often bread here. There is a premium on exploiting perceived weakness infact it is often a game played to see who can break or expose the other here. A constant mind game of chess where the victor is the one who out trolls, argues, or exploits the other. A micro-training ground for manipulative and exploitative behavior. Not that there's anything wrong with that... This is a sociopath forum after all.
As for them being cooped up indoors... Between texting, facebook, and twitter Online is now the predominant means of socialization in our culture and it's predominance continues to grow every year.
But not to disregard your point, I understand what you're saying, with experience comes the ability to recognize and understand the patterns of human behavior. The observant are keen to note the subtle cues that underlie behavior. It is in this nuance that perception goes beyond what is meant to be observed, into what is. That nature of which is often unseen even by the perpetrator of an observable act. To a place where only the highest functioning can perceive the cause behind the act. The truth behind the words, and the reason in illogic.