I deleted a 10+ year old account a couple of years ago. The accounts I deleted when the ruckus started were those I'd been using since then.
That 10 year old account a couple years ago bugged me awhile because I had the conceit that anyone at all on Reddit recognized my name or cared what I had to say. Eventually I got over that.
As a result, I felt almost no sting from wiping and deleting the younger ones. Maybe 5 minutes of feeling a little weird about it until I realized I'd given up exactly nothing.
I do feel like I recognize people here more probably because of the avatars. I see you around a lot, and I recognize Nepenthe, catch 42, and otomechan based on their avatars.
Funnily enough I always think you're Ernest for half a second before I realize I've done it again.