Explaining yourself to someone who doesn't know you forces you to articulate things you've only half-formed in your own head. The conversation makes your thoughts real.
You notice your patterns.
The topics you keep returning to. The things you avoid. The way you respond when someone pushes back. Anonymous chat is like a mirror that doesn't know you well enough to flatter you.
You learn what matters to you.
In a conversation with stakes, you'll discover which opinions you hold firmly and which you hold loosely. Both are worth knowing.
You get better at listening.
When you're not managing a long-term relationship or reputation, you can actually focus on what someone is saying. That skill transfers back to your real life.
Every conversation is a small education.
You don't grow much talking to people exactly like you. Strangers challenge your assumptions, fill in your blind spots, and leave you different than you were before.