Certain topics on DU must devolve into bizarre extremes

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

The irony is that the less controversial the topic the more certain it is that it will devolve into bizarre extremes. Or else it will not be very visible.

For instance: "Shit smells bad." Such an OP will sink quickly because there is no controversy... there is no second side to the argument.

Thus discussion (beyond "I agree") of the unexceptional cannot take place unless someone drags it into the exceptional.

"Shit smells bad because of alien stink rays."

Now we have a two-sided discussion. But a weird one.

For something everyone here pretty much agrees on to be discussed much, and thus be highly visible, the discussion has to get pretty wild. (Not a call-out, but an example. The Quran burning thing is pretty one sided so the discussion of it has to get more extreme to be controversial enough to stay visible... like whether it is a criminal offense, whether it is a protected speech act... far beyond merely whether it is a malicious, ugly thing to do, which me almost all agree about.)

On the other hand, very controversial topics can be discussed within a narrower range.

This explains why people on DU complain so bitterly (and visibly) about Democratic politicians. It is a two-sided discussion. Such topics find many takers on both sides.

The fact that almost everyone on DU despises Republicans makes "Republicans suck" a very thin basis for discussion. On an unmoderated board, however, that would be a bitterly fought proposition.

So where do fault-lines occur in a community like this?

Near the Middle. (But just edgy enough to be widely provocative.)

That will be the case on any healthy moderated board. The fault-lines will be points with maximum disagreement within the community.

In a healthy discussion community limited to the progressive side of the spectrum most disagreement will be about things in dispute within that spectrum.

Within the DU community the quality or lack thereof of our side's political leaders and programs is disputed. It is in controversy.

Thus it is a topic of constant discussion.

[dkf]

1. Nice insight.

[mike_c]

2. excellent insight-- rec'd....

:thumbsup:

[JuniperLea]

3. Is this relative to the 28 or more OP's you currently have floating around in GD?

Or GD in general?

[joshcryer]

7. People who would like to have a reasonable discussion are often dismayed that their posts sink...

...and no one cares. That's why I don't start OPs, I never get any responses because I don't incite some extreme controversy in subject line and in the post itself.

[arbusto_baboso]

4. Why must you deny the existence of alien stink rays?

:evilgrin: :hi: Sorry, couldn't resist.

Yeah, there's some strange shit on this board sometimes, and most of it is suprisingly not in The Lounge!

[Stinky The Clown]

5. In support of your thesis, I would observe . . . . .

. . . . . that your post is already under water.

[HopeHoops]

6. Did you ever have sex with a twinkie?

I mean, hell, we've all done it. Just sayin'.

[Shanti Mama]

8. I don't despise republicans. How could you say that?

I dislike republican actions, thinking, manipulation, lying. But the people... I don't hate or despise them.

See, I can argue with just about anything that's posted, though I seldom do.