Why are you addicted to the DU? I like

[applegrove]

novel information. I like to be on the steep part of the learning curve. DU gives me a chance to share that with others. I'm not analytical or a good writer so I could never make it as a journalist. But I just love all the subtle changes to our understanding of politics every day and how empathy is making a comeback. You?

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Entertainment

The best comedy writers in the world couldn't tie the shoelaces of some of DU's most well-rounded and wishful posters.

[Fumesucker]

2. Too bad they shut down the most entertaining forum

[hrmjustin]

3. +1,000,000

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. I was actually shocked by its demise... n/t

[NYC_SKP]

4. Sort of.

I visit every day, I visit on my phone, I probably post every day.

I think, though, that traffic might be lower than it was two and three years ago.

I often check for new threads and when I do that and there aren't any new posts, I haz sads.

[Warpy]

5. I'm tolerated here

and that's rare. I learn things here. I get a lot of laughs here.

The combination keeps me coming back.

[Jasana]

7. I'm new so I'm not addicted yet...

I think some people may say that empathy can sometimes be lacking here but I find this place heaven compared to other places.

Just one example: An old friend of mine convinced me to join Facebook. I caught up with some old friends and now I wish I hadn't. One woman posted a poster calling people who needed to use the SNAP program "animals." I kid you not. Another said liberals had to be "annihilated." and yet another calls us "Moonbats." With friends like that who needs enemies! I'd rather get addicted here.

PS: If any normal people would like to friend me on Facebook, please PM me.

[Kablooie]

8. I think I enjoy being outraged and depressed.

[napoleon_in_rags]

9. Its the stream of novel information plus basic quality controls.

That makes it unique. All kinds of things fly here, except a lot of the dumb stuff you find elsewhere just doesn't appear. You really have to twist a dumb talking point into a very particular form to post it here.

[eridani]

10. I like all the wonky expertise

If a thread can be enhanced by testimonies on personal experience as an emergency room tech, speaker of Japanese, public interest lawyer, union organizer, etc. etc., it will be.

[Jamaal510]

11. Because

it's one of the few forums on the Internet I can visit without reading many widely-debunked RW talking points or seeing bigoted slurs. It feels great to actually comment in a place that holds the same level of contempt for the Right as I do. I actually found DU just by typing some anti-Republican stuff into the Google search engine.

DU has its share of disagreements and squabbling, but this site is like a breath of fresh air compared to the YouTube comments section or Yahoo. The comment moderating on both of those sites is sub-par, to put it mildly. When I used to read comments on those sites, it was always pretty easy to either see somebody getting called "faggot", "beaner", "Nigger", or somebody making a welfare or food stamp joke. Furthermore, I was just so sick of all the Obama Derangement and the Ron Paul butt-kissing on YouTube. Everybody was acting like he is God's gift to politics, when the man is clearly a raging bigot who was supported by White Supremacists. Most of those people probably only gave him the time of day, though, because they thought he is anti-war and wanted to legalize drugs.

So yeah...that's how I became addicted to DU. But I also like visiting Media Matters sometimes.

[Cha]

12. I got addicted in the early throes of the bush coup.

.. Turns out I like putting my thoughts down on politics with people from all over the world, applegrove..

Hello Canada!

[LeftofObama]

13. I'm addicted to news and what's going on around the country and world.

DU is my one stop shop, so to speak, where I can get the latest breaking news without having to have right wing propaganda interjected at every opportunity. I don't want gossip, I want facts and I can get that here. If a particular news source isn't being completely honest or credible you can bet it will be debunked here. On any given day if I were to turn on the tv "news" I'll bet 95% of the stories they talk about have already been covered here with much more accuracy.

DU even has separate forums for my other interests as well. I have made some of the most delicious dishes I've ever eaten just by perusing the Cooking and Baking group. I'm a runner so I've given and taken advice from the Exercise and Fitness group many times. The LGBT group keeps me informed about almost everything that's happening on those issues. The list goes on and on.

And if I ever have trouble expressing myself, DU has a smiley for that too!

[KaryninMiami]

14. For me it's partly for a quick news hit - but -

It's more about the community and the power of the things we have and can continue to accomplish which I find very inspiring. I check in during the work day from time to time for an update on the day's top news and for a quick "hit" of the vibe of the day- but not for long periods of time because I'm supposed to be focused on work.

But when there's more time to enjoy and absorb the banter and conversation, jumping in on occasion, posting once in a while, it's great to have the opportunity to listen to and learn from some pretty astute and well read political minds as well as some all around bright, inquisitive people whom I really do respect.

We as a community at DU have done some pretty amazing things. WE have helped get Rachel Maddow her own show by bombarding MSNBC every time she guest hosted for Keith O (yes I truly believe those calls made a difference). We as a community helped get the election machine fraud story out into the media by bombarding the media with calls and faxes and emails (on so only Keith O covered the story at first on TV but at least he did). WE here at DU helped create a huge gathering of election reform activists in Nashville that included elected officials, university experts, national media and a few hundred activists from around the country (totally amazing event), WE here at DU raised enough money for Andy Stephenson to be admitted to Johns Hopkins for pancreatic surgery (he had no insurance) something that still makes my eyes well up with tears just to think of it (if you were not around during that time look it up- he was a close friend and it is something I will never forget), WE here at DU have made online polls jump in numbers before our eyes and have, through DU members sent messages to congress and major political players and can be assured our voices are being heard and WE here at DU have been together through everything from 911 to Sandy and every primary and election and major and minor event, sharing stories, supporting each other through times of sadness, when in need, through times of joy. When someone dies, we are here, when someone is in need, we are here, when there is something to celebrate, we are here- we share recipes, success stories, suggestions for hope and more. We laugh together and have cried together. I love that we are multi- generational- every time someone does one of those polls, I find it fascinating to see our demographics. It gives me great hope to see that we are not all boomers like myself- love that more and more younger dems are joining us- makes my heart proud!

Guess I'm an optimist because I also believe that as we as a community continue to grow, we also have an opportunity as the need arises, to continue to be activists of hope as needed- in supporting each other and in supporting the possibilities of making the world better for all of us.

So that's why I hang here!