Get on HF. Yes, there’s still trash there, too, but you can also get on with folks who have a much more wholesome worldview.
I’ve QSOd to gobs of folks in the US, Japan, Indonesia, and even a guy in Rarotonga.
If SSB isn’t your interest there’s FT8, FT4, JS8Call, and SSTV.
Upgrade to General and get on 20m, tons of activity there right now—it was by far the busiest band during Field Day.
There are good folks are out there, we just have to link up.
My buddy has one of these just sitting unused, and I am super tempted to hook it up and watch the discs he has.