you and George II have had a number of "discussions" recently.

troll a thread with nonsense because they don't like the content. My recent OP for example, a sub-thread there is a perfect example of how discussion is shut down.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287191690

Let me guess:

Didn't know it had a name.

but I have one example of the fabled "sea lion" that I am losing patience with.

I'm not going to read what they are going to post anyway (especially if they post the same thing/type of things ad nauseam), so it unclutters threads.

But don't read or respond to them. I still like to read the responses, or some of the sub threads that are generated by them.

I also like to keep track of who I should keep on my jury black list.

Right?

feature, not a bug.

1) It's summer. More people out and about, travelling, on vacations.

2) We're into the primary. It's a divisive period as some DUer make cases for why their candidate deserves the nomination and why others aren't as well suited. Things can get heated. Some forum members are turned off by that.

to deal with.

I wait for the last standing candidate. Most of them are very good, and I mull them over on my own. The only thing I'm certain about is I will vote for the last one standing.

Words have to be chosen very carefully during primaries. Don't want to appear to be bashing anyone. I stay clear of all of that. Years of lurking has taught me that much. I have a favorite but I hold it close to heart right now. There’s a great chance that many won’t be getting their first choice with so many candidates. Right now I am just happy to see so many candidates who can speak in full sentences. : )

get dog piled on by the Nancy can do no wrong crowd and end up leaving if they don't have thick skin.

I know what will happen, I posted and opinion on super nancy and got the post hidden..Only opinions that count are the ones that toe their line..So I read mostly and post rarely anymore.

If you say something someone doesnt like they get a few friends to report your post as breaking some rule - even if it doesnt. Sometime the moderators will overrule them but sometimes that takes a day or two. By then the discussion is over and on page 5.

Been here for many years, both other times had over 5000 posts but my opinions are not always along the"party" line so get reported like that and finally get banned ...The powers that be here do not like to hear the truth..

(waiting to get this one hidden)

Taken as criticism and blocked mean that opinions are not allowed unless they toe the party line, seems like I heard that some where??? Oh ya I believe it was an old line in Pravda...Or maybe Faux ..either way it tends to be a judgement call with no recourse except to shut up and keep opinions to myself which is why I and many many others no longer join the so called conversation here..

and have only ever had ONE post hidden:

2016 election:
Two votes possible:
"Not Trump & Not Hillary"

You'd have thought I executed someone's Grandma

Funny & sad all at once

My comment was that I hoped they didn’t revert to just talking about safe topics. The reason given was because I bad mouthed Democrats. That was the rule I broke.

Time will tell how things turn out. Should be interesting.

back in 2015, same thing happened. Bernie and Warren supporters were at odds with Hillary folks. Lots of DU infighting. Turned me off til the primaries were over. And Warren hadn't even declared!

It’s clear many people aren’t interested in discussion, just causing disruption and pitting people against each other. Very 2016, but with a much earlier start.

Especially over on the primaries board.

DU is rife with know-it-alls with too much time to participate.

We all need some comic or light hearted spin on the ugly out there.

Sure, we are fighting for our lives, literally.

Actually I don't think it is an "early" start I don't think the campaigns ever really end anymore.

When we ALL hated Bush, it was easy to get along

I also remember the early Green wars, and the Clintonistas, and the Clarkies, and the... It's a fairly long list of name calling and monkeys flinging shit at each other, culminating in the entire "Berniebros" thing this last time. Let's face it, primary time here at DU is a shitshow and always has been. It's sad, but it's a thing here. I have come to the point that I no longer even discuss our candidates in a primary--both here at DU and locally.

It's just not worth it to me any more. Yah, we all have a common enemy, but I'm never quite sure that everybody here understands that or cares.

YMMV.


Laura

BTW, SoCal, it is good to see you! It's been too long!

Last edited Tue Jul 9, 2019, 03:52 AM - Edit history (1)

Kitty videos on Facebook are more interesting than arguing about stuff we cannot change with people we don't know

I have taken time off.. sometimes a year or two at a time.. just involved with lots of things in RL..including local politics.. love talking to people..but seems people shift in and out.. and lose interest and the regain interest.. and it never really has been a discussion group.. its more like a caucus.. we are all trying to get our points across..people land in here because they have a point of view. not that they are looking for one or to discuss one..that is from my point of view.. and I am sure that there are many who disagree with that..

It may be many of us just read now because we have real lives and don’t have time for a morning long volley of bombs with someone you never are going to agree with. Ever

What is the difference between argue and debate?

A disagreement is when both parties express their opinions without getting emotional. It's just that they may see things differently. An argument involves being hurt or angry that the other will not see things the same way. ... There is a major difference between an argument and a disagreement.
https://www.randomthoughtsofgold.com › ...

Usually in a discussion, people exchange ideas. Argument is "statements and reasoning in support of a proposition." An argument is a disagreement between two or more people. ... According to the American Heritage Dictionary there is some difference between arguing and discussion.
ResearchGate › post › As_academics...

Last edited Mon Jul 8, 2019, 04:59 PM - Edit history (1)

A lot of it stems from people wanting posts hidden that criticize Democratic figures. How can you have a valid discussion if you aren't able to discuss the faults, past or present, of someone. Focusing only on the positive only results in an echo chamber with little forward movement.

that have been alerted on, that are just basically valid criticism. It's just MHO, of course, but unless we encourage the Dem Party to change the way it does things, we will end up beaten. But maybe that's our fate.

I also have bowed out of DU for days and weeks at a time -- I know how I'm going to vote in the primary and the general, so much of the discussion is irrelevant to me.

you, others and I can start the discussion ball rolling. Lots of topics are open for creating a lively debate from my vantage point.

If I like the topic in a positive way and I have something to say, I can respond.

Negative comments have a way of backfiring.

Yes, the participation is down. Fewer recs seen in top comments. At night, there are threads with in the front pages with 2-4 recs.

the Dem Primaries forum and candidate forums were established. I think a lot of regulars are over there most of the time.

that they can do nothing but watch their once "flawed but promising" country being destroyed, while people quibble about how "imperfect" this or that particular Democratic candidate is.

It's like watching a wall of water come towards your house and arguing about the color of the drapes in the living room.

We have ONE fucking chance to put our country back on a sane path in 2020, and people are tired of arguing about whether we should go with ceramic tile or hardwood in the foyer.

This has been the case for me since the site came back up after the 2016 election.

We had just lost to fucking Donald Trump, but it had become virtually impossible to discuss any of the reasons that outside of things that neither the party nor candidate could control.

If you tried to engage in such a discussion, you would get accused of "bashing" the party, or various figures in it, and would at least get massively piled on, if not actually getting your post removed.

Also, the primary wars just didn't stop this time around, and there was no escaping them, because GDP got shut down.

I'm just not interested in being dogpiled or harrassed, or accused of being a Russian troll, just for expressing an opinion that some self appointed board police disagree with.

This can be a good place for following some current events, but I've been spending more time lurking at Daily Kos, and find the discussions there to be far more interesting, and with a much greater diversity of opinion.

What's the point in documenting each thing or debating minute details?

Wake me up when the Dems fight back.

It seems to me that some democratic candidates have more to say derogatorily about fellow candidates than they have to say about a party that is trashing the constitution. I have not heard one say openly that Trump is a liar, con-man, sexual predator, fascist, thief, and traitor for trashing our allies and embracing our sworn enemies. Feel free to add to the list.

detailing trump's latest lawlessness, my only thought is, "Who's going to stop him?" And the answer seems to be nobody. Absolutely no one. He is de facto king of the US.

It is beyond demoralizing; hence the lack of discussion, at least in GD. The primaries section is pretty active, but even that can be a downer because of all the fighting. People seem to be unleashing all their frustrations on our candidates and not keeping things in perspective.