I haven't posted for several days and I have only looked in a few times. I don't know when

[Atticus]

Last edited Sat Feb 29, 2020, 09:04 AM - Edit history (1)

or even if that will change. This post may get canned because I'm sure some won't think it appropriate.

I genuinely do not like to say unkind things and I hesitate to add to the negativity here, but I also don't like ignoring reality. Add to these my lifetime aversion to abiding fools and my absence from DU this past week is easily understood.

We are no longer a community of mostly like-minded people striving to rise above the well-funded bullshit and devise ways to make our country---and the world---a better place. We seem to have devolved into a strident circular firing squad of trolls, cultists and fanboys. Some of the posts are disingenuous, some are willfully ignorant and some out and out lies worthy of the White House. And, as I read some of the incredibly negative right-wing propaganda that is sometimes not just posted but enthusiastically defended when confronted with the facts, I have to ask why I am doing this to myself; why am I sitting here again reading while my stomach turns and my blood pressure spikes?

Most who bother to read this will understand that my rant is not directed at them. Most, I believe, have at least occasionally shared my dismay about the current "ambience" here. But, some---including some who I'd never heard of until recently---sow division and enmity while paying lip-service to party unity; some knowingly (IMHO) repeat rightwing memes; and, others amuse themselves by sidelining serious policy discussions by picking at nits real and invented.

So, I will continue to kibbitz now and then and post occasionally, but I need some time to heal. In the past several days, I have reread "The Prophet" and "On Bullshit" and am into Book II of Plato's "Republic": literary therapy.

Vote Blue, No Matter Who!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. You mean, like this one?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287597805

Some people seem unable to distinguish imperfect friends from mortal enemies.

[Dem2]

5. Yeesh

I hadn't seen that post previously

[MontanaMama]

6. That one is a dandy.

George has it handled however.

[Blecht]

2. I've been here since 2002

And I have fewer than 3000 posts.

I've spent years as a lurker, with occasional spurts of activity. I have a huge ignore list here.

Let me just say I know what you are talking about. (Hence the reason for the huge ignore list.) Keep posting -- I have noticed your posts and really appreciate your contributions to this site.

[uriel1972]

20. I will have to echo this...

except the ignore list.

[TwilightZone]

3. Unfortunately, most cycles are just like this. Some have been worse.

Though this one is definitely approaching critical mass.

I know that doesn't help, but the whole reason why a Primaries forum even exists is because this happens every cycle, and DU (quite smartly, in my opinion) decided that it should be quarantined in its own little hive as to not infect the rest of the site.

If you want a respite from 99% of the nonsense but still want to remain part of the community, trash the Primaries forum for a while. I haven't been smart enough to do that yet (I generally end up just leaving for months at a time), but many, many people have said it transforms the experience.

"incredibly negative right-wing propaganda"

There is certainly plenty of that, but as you also noted, there is also a lot of overt disruption and intentional ignorance from some very prolific posters -- some who have been here for a very long time -- who are ostensibly supporters of some of our candidates, but seem to be intent on doing more harm to their favorites than good. I'm not sure if that's worse or better than the right-wing propaganda, but it without a doubt is contributing to the environment.

"Vote Blue, No Matter Who!"

Always.

[OilemFirchen]

4. Kibitz.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

[Grasswire2]

7. Or "kibbitz"

Synonyms: babble, blab, cackle, chaffer [British], chat, chatter, chin [slang], converse, gab, gabble, gas, jabber, jaw, natter, palaver, patter, prate, prattle, rap, rattle, run on, schmooze (or shmooze), talk, twitter, visit


A "kibbutz" is an Israeli farm.

[Hekate]

13. I've always thought it might be fun to go out to the kibbutz on Saturday night to kibbitz

[Atticus]

21. Thanks for correcting me. Duh! nt

[Whiskeytide]

8. Take heart, Atticus. DU is much less...

... insane outside the primaries forum. I only venture into that cesspool occasionally. And as bad as it is now, I’m pretty confident that liberals will unite against Тяцмр come November. If we can’t get it together to run his orange ass out on a rail ... well, I’m not sure I want to consider what that would mean for the country.

Your posts here are appreciated by more DUers than you might think. Keep the faith.

[yonder]

9. Normally, I'd say hang in there, but after reading the DU post

referenced in post #1, I don't know what to say.

A couple of weeks ago and for the first time, I trashed a DU forum, the DP forum — my time here has been better.

Just now, also for the first time, I have put a DUer on ignore — a nameless soul making their mark in that same referenced post.

Still, hang in there.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. It's been removed, at last.

[Hekate]

15. I just now did that. Thanks. I hope this means I won't be called for jury duty there, too.

[ramen]

10. Blue no matter who is right. nt

[calimary]

19. Yep. That's become my mantra by now.

Keeps me focused.

[yaesu]

11. I try to say something positive about every candidate even if they aren't even in the ballpark

as far as who I want to be president. I have noticed way too many fervent supporters of one candidate go way, way overboard attacking another candidate in a rightwingish way, using rightwing talking points. I survive by populating my very large ignore list. I just wish that list worked on threads also.

[mahina]

14. Hey Atticus.

I’m so sorry to hear that it’s caused you such distress. A word of suggestion I steer clear of the primaries tab entirely and I’m much happier for it. I hope you feel much better soon.

All of your books suggestions sound extremely helpful in the moment

[Duppers]

16. As Blecht stated **huge ignore list**

It's my way of coping here.

[Hekate]

17. A couple of times before I was also ready to quit. The Obama hatred was so out of hand...

...a bunch of us spent 8 years in the BOG. I swear, the folks who complain about "bashing" and "hatred" of their hero every time someone says boo have no idea.

We lose a lot of good people each time, and that's sad. But at one point I started counting how many I'd actually miss if I quit entirely, I ran out of fingers and toes and decided to just take vacations.

I just trashed a whole forum. We'll see how that works.

For you, definitely take mental health breaks. I'd hate to lose you too.

[orleans]

18. here's a book i want to read

after hearing thom hartmann talk about it. maybe check it out. (i don't go into primaries very often--it seems it's a lot of... i'm just not comfortable in there)

anyway, thanks for posting what you did

"ABOUT THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE WAR ON VOTING
“Hartmann’s history of voter suppression in America is necessary information given current news about voter registration purges and redistricting…a particularly timely topic for an election year, and anyone who is seriously concerned about the survival of American democracy will want to read this book and apply its lessons.”–Booklist

"America’s #1 progressive radio host looks at how elites have long tried to disenfranchise citizens–particularly people of color, women, and the poor–and shows what we can do to ensure everyone has a voice in this democracy.

"In today’s America, only a slim majority of people register to vote, and a large percentage of registered voters don’t bother to show up: Donald Trump was elected by only 26 percent of eligible voters. Unfortunately, this is not a bug in our system, it’s a feature. Thom Hartmann unveils the strategies and tactics that conservative elites in this country have used, from the foundation of the Electoral College to the latest voter ID laws, to protect their interests by preventing “the wrong people”–such as the poor, women, and people of color–from voting while making it more convenient for the wealthy and white. But he also lays out a wide variety of simple, commonsense ways that we the people can fight back and reclaim our right to rule through the ballot box.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/617256/the-hidden-history-of-the-war-on-voting-by-thom-hartmann/

[druidity33]

22. I recently read an interesting book...

called The Just City by Jo Walton. It's Fantasy Fiction, but based on the idea of creating The Republic in a real place and time. It did make me want to re-read Plato. Thought I might start with the Dialogues...

[sinkingfeeling]

23. I'm surviving by skipping 99% of the posts in the 'Primaries' group.

[Baked Potato]

24. I think it's hard to get everyone on the same sheet of music,

because a great many people are doing really well under Trump. And, conversely, a great many people aren’t doing well at all. The Democratic Party itself is full of haves, and have nots. So, there’s some conflict there.

Just my 2c.