e2 is like having a conversation with yourself.
I was walking upstaires to the kitchen to get some water before shutting down for the evening and I was thinking to myself after another another late-night noding session, "why do I enjoy e2 so much?" And, "why does the e2 experience seem so very intimate?"
The short answer I could come up with, was that e2 is so very much like having a conversation with one's self. e2 contains many of the elements of a lively conversation. There is a topic, the node; A bunch of related topics and commentary, the node's content and softlinks; and when you get tired of the topic you can change the topic and search for something else.
This conversation is so intimate because you choose where it will lead amongst often suprising relations. You choose when you wish to contribute something to the conversation. You need not be charming and have to worry about body language. If you want to be eloquent, you can take your time. You may discover yourself through e2.
Now, I am not advocating e2 over classical conversations or social interaction, but I believe the value I have pointed out may be of aid to some people. Just try and get some sleep once in awhile, okay?