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BluesRunTheGame

(1,622 posts)
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 07:31 PM Mar 2

Democratic Underground: Participation by age and gender.

I know that most of the regular posters here are older folks. I’m curious how many younger people stop by and read DU for news and information. A recent post suggested that among younger Americans women were becoming more liberal while men were becoming more conservative. I wonder if that’s reflected by DUs readership.


382 votes, 6 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Younger than 20, male.
0 (0%)
Younger than 20, female.
0 (0%)
20s, male.
0 (0%)
20s, female.
1 (0%)
30s, male.
8 (2%)
30s, female.
2 (1%)
40s, male.
16 (4%)
40s, female.
6 (2%)
50 and up, male.
181 (47%)
50 and up, female.
168 (44%)
Show usernames
Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
63 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Democratic Underground: Participation by age and gender. (Original Post) BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 OP
K&R PatSeg Mar 2 #1
What about non binary? Or other genders? Lunabell Mar 2 #2
That could be a different poll. BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #3
I know space was limited but in a separate poll, I am fucking curious to how the numbers would play out, as well. SoFlaBro Mar 3 #47
Definitely older. MOMFUDSKI Mar 2 #4
Many of us started Out on DU over 20years ago.. Cha Mar 2 #5
I started lurking here in 2005. bamagal62 Mar 2 #9
Looking Back it Cha Mar 2 #12
Yes Cha bdamomma Mar 2 #16
lol.. yeah, 50+ a few decades! Cha Mar 3 #46
Damn... Ohio Joe Mar 2 #19
Good on you.. it's still a long time. Cha Mar 2 #25
I also left & came back. Dulcinea Mar 2 #42
Female Many Moons older... yours is about Cha Mar 3 #45
Old Timewas Mar 2 #6
I'll be entering into that Cha Mar 2 #28
Me too, in November! It's exciting. Croney Mar 4 #59
🫶 Deuxcents Mar 2 #34
K&R...nt Wounded Bear Mar 2 #7
I'm one of the younger ones here ClimateHawk Mar 2 #8
I've been around since 2001. BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #10
I've been following DU for a long time TexasDem69 Mar 2 #24
If the poll is accurate, this place is practically devoid of anyone under 50. Act_of_Reparation Mar 3 #43
Message boards/forums have been in decline for years now DetroitLegalBeagle Mar 3 #52
We came when BushCheney were installed. We were in robust active middle age then... Hekate Mar 3 #58
Bravo, glad you're here. It's vital to have people of diff ages and appalachiablue Mar 2 #32
Wishing you an early Happy Birthday and a wonderful coming year. niyad Mar 5 #60
I joined in October of 2001, the day after my thirty-third birthday. Aristus Mar 2 #11
I started reading DU on 9/11. I signed up and started posting in December or January. BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #13
I'll never leave bdamomma Mar 2 #17
DU used to have a portrait gallery. Aristus Mar 2 #18
They bdamomma Mar 2 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author bdamomma Mar 2 #23
Interesting 3auld6phart Mar 3 #53
I can remember posts about DU meet-ups, either group or individuals & couples. I haven't seen any of those in a while. NBachers Mar 2 #33
I went to many meetups. intheflow Mar 3 #51
I left in 2010 BOSSHOG Mar 2 #37
Honestly you should start it at 40 and up. There are a LOT of 70+. WhiskeyGrinder Mar 2 #14
I know we skew older. BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #15
I hit the big 7 0 BOSSHOG Mar 2 #36
Just turned 45 today; male. Joined right after 9/11 (found DU via BartCop, RIP). I was 100% non-political Grown2Hate Mar 2 #20
Happy birthday! BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #21
Thank you! :) At my age I don't make a Grown2Hate Mar 2 #39
Clearly member of majority, elleng Mar 2 #26
It's Saturday night and maybe the younger DUers are out for the evening Deuxcents Mar 2 #27
Maybe they post from their desks at work through the week... BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #29
How about adding a few categories: AverageOldGuy Mar 2 #30
Interesting breakdown: 20s, 30s, 40s, and "50s and older"? TygrBright Mar 2 #31
I know most of us are over 50. I'm here almost every day. I read the posts. I think I have a pretty good sense... BluesRunTheGame Mar 2 #38
What? limbicnuminousity Mar 2 #41
A lot of us in the senior cohort were in our 30s when we discovered DU. Earth-shine Mar 2 #35
Probably should be an internal survey, but nothing public that oppositions firms could leverage. TheBlackAdder Mar 2 #40
One thing is obvious. bluedigger Mar 3 #44
I made it to the nearest open convenience store after midnight, DemocraticPatriot Mar 3 #48
Been here since Jun 3, 2002 GoneOffShore Mar 3 #49
Kick BluesRunTheGame Mar 3 #50
IMO, there's a fatal flaw in this poll Polybius Mar 3 #54
I didn't post the poll to find out who's here. BluesRunTheGame Mar 3 #55
I hear ya Polybius Mar 3 #56
We need some young peoples 😀 malaise Mar 3 #57
We were the young people! 🤣😂 Hope22 Mar 10 #61
That is great news malaise Mar 10 #62
Flaw is that Gen Z doesn't know what a message board is - TBF Apr 10 #63

SoFlaBro

(1,986 posts)
47. I know space was limited but in a separate poll, I am fucking curious to how the numbers would play out, as well.
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 12:20 AM
Mar 3

Cha

(297,875 posts)
28. I'll be entering into that
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:10 PM
Mar 2

Decade this year.

Now it’s all staying healthy. And the 💙🌊🇺🇸🕯️🕊️

ClimateHawk

(212 posts)
8. I'm one of the younger ones here
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 08:09 PM
Mar 2

I'm turning 34 years old next week. I've been a registered Democrat since 2008. I'm a fairly liberal guy and my views haven't really changed over the years. "Vote blue no matter who" is the motto I follow.

I joined DU in 2012 just before the election. I'm happy to be here in these crazy times.

BluesRunTheGame

(1,622 posts)
10. I've been around since 2001.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 08:18 PM
Mar 2

Last edited Sat Mar 2, 2024, 08:51 PM - Edit history (1)

In the early days there were several high school and college students who were regular posters. I was in my early 40s (65 now). I’m a bit surprised there aren’t more younger people here now.

TexasDem69

(1,855 posts)
24. I've been following DU for a long time
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:55 PM
Mar 2

I wonder if the lack of younger folks here now is the changing face of social media? I also post on Facebook a fair bit but not TikTok and my kids (who are in their 20s) think Facebook is outdated

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
43. If the poll is accurate, this place is practically devoid of anyone under 50.
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 12:01 AM
Mar 3

Social media isn't an adequate explanation for so many demographics being so poorly represented. Presumably, people in their late teens and early 20's stumbled on this site in the early 2000's. Any reasons they might not have stuck around?

DetroitLegalBeagle

(1,927 posts)
52. Message boards/forums have been in decline for years now
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 11:13 AM
Mar 3

They are no where near as popular or as active as they were when I was in high school. Many went under as ad blockers became the norm(since many derived their revenue to run the site from ads) and reddit subreddits and Facebook groups have replaced many of them. The handful of others that I am still members of have similar age demo's as DU, they nearly all skew older.

Hekate

(90,913 posts)
58. We came when BushCheney were installed. We were in robust active middle age then...
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 03:12 PM
Mar 3

We came when BushCheney were installed. We were in robust active middle age then…
…and many of us had real life experience in political activism from our youth, which we used to oppose BushCheney..

We stayed. We made friends. Many subgroups formed.

It’s amazing what a quarter century will do to one’s age and energy. I thought everybody else stayed the same age — it was kind of a shock to realize everybody else aged too.

appalachiablue

(41,184 posts)
32. Bravo, glad you're here. It's vital to have people of diff ages and
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:28 PM
Mar 2

backgrounds. DU has so many groups which is great - for educators, expats, musicians, artists, Christians, feminists, cooks, birders and more.

It would be healthy to have more younger members here to share their views, experiences and concerns. New blood. They could still participate in other social media platforms.

Young people are the future and have the most at stake in these difficult times.

'Young lions show me your teeth.'

Aristus

(66,481 posts)
11. I joined in October of 2001, the day after my thirty-third birthday.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 08:21 PM
Mar 2

A lot has changed in the world, a lot has stayed the same, for better or worse, and a lot of things have gotten worse.

DU keeps me sane.

I'll never leave...

bdamomma

(63,940 posts)
17. I'll never leave
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:11 PM
Mar 2

either been here since 2006. I wish we could have a DU convention and see each other face to face.
I'm curious.

Aristus

(66,481 posts)
18. DU used to have a portrait gallery.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:18 PM
Mar 2

DU-ers used to post pics of themselves as a kind of get-to-know-you. There also used to be many posts in which DU-ers would share pics of themselves, their families, and their lives. I don't see many of those anymore. I can only assume right-wing trolls started harassing anyone they could plausibly claim to identify through their pics. I'm sure there were death threats, too.

So, no more pics.

Response to Aristus (Reply #18)

3auld6phart

(1,054 posts)
53. Interesting
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 11:37 AM
Mar 3

My son, the ‘ putor whiz advised me not to post pics.Been following Du since Christ was a corporal, back in early days 20000s. A Mac tuquise., still not a whiz, hunt and peck typist.. bitmore up to date. I
Pad pad user now, still bloody slow user. I guess left of centre love the Du site.have to get the wife to rent my membership., today .to all the old timers hang in there.

NBachers

(17,155 posts)
33. I can remember posts about DU meet-ups, either group or individuals & couples. I haven't seen any of those in a while.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:28 PM
Mar 2

intheflow

(28,509 posts)
51. I went to many meetups.
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 11:09 AM
Mar 3

At one time I was able to claim I easily knew over 100 DUers in real life. Some aren’t on here any more, some have passed, many changed their names and now I don’t know if I know who I’m talking to anymore. But the meetups were really great and I made one very good friend in the process.

BOSSHOG

(37,130 posts)
37. I left in 2010
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:44 PM
Mar 2

Came back in 2022. I was more aggressive back then. Kinda mellow now except when discussing “them.” You know, those who don’t understand the value of liberty and Justice for all.

BluesRunTheGame

(1,622 posts)
15. I know we skew older.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:00 PM
Mar 2

I wanted to get an idea how many younger people were here. It appears the answer is: Not many.

Grown2Hate

(2,013 posts)
20. Just turned 45 today; male. Joined right after 9/11 (found DU via BartCop, RIP). I was 100% non-political
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:39 PM
Mar 2

before that. I've come a long way. Love DU.

BluesRunTheGame

(1,622 posts)
29. Maybe they post from their desks at work through the week...
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:10 PM
Mar 2

…when they should be busy making the boss richer.

AverageOldGuy

(1,562 posts)
30. How about adding a few categories:
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:18 PM
Mar 2

Older than dirt and feeling every day of it.

I used to think people my age were all dead.

I'm so old I don't remember my age.

TygrBright

(20,775 posts)
31. Interesting breakdown: 20s, 30s, 40s, and "50s and older"?
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:23 PM
Mar 2

So, does this mean there are likely to be significant cultural, experiential, and ideological differences between people in their 20s and people in their 30s, between people in their 30s and people in their 40s, and between all those groups and people "over 50", but generally people "over 50" are pretty much of a muchness?

As in, just... you know... OLD?

So it's important to recognize, understand and consider differences between those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, but it's fine to just lump everyone over 50 together and assume they're all pretty much homogeneous, except possibly for minor differences based on gender?

I think there may be a flaw in your poll methodology.

If what you want to know is "how much of DU's active survey-responding readership is over 50, broken out by two specific genders" (I guess non-binary folk are... what... ?), you could make the survey shorter by just asking "Who's male and under 50?", "Who's female and under 50?", "Who's male and over 50?", and "Who's female and over 50?". That might get you a little more credibility among those of us in the four decade-cohorts 50 and over who are really quite non-homogeneous and not always happy about being relegated to the generic "old" category.

Maybe next poll?

helpfully,
Bright

BluesRunTheGame

(1,622 posts)
38. I know most of us are over 50. I'm here almost every day. I read the posts. I think I have a pretty good sense...
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:44 PM
Mar 2

…of our similarities and differences. I think most of us do.

I was simply curious about the breakdown of the people under 50.

limbicnuminousity

(1,406 posts)
41. What?
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 11:33 PM
Mar 2

Do you mean to say that there is no uniformly held set of beliefs and moral standards that we all ascribe to upon hitting 50? I'd swear the manual said something about achieving homogeneity by 35...or was that Logan's Run?

I think this may not be the right audience for polling the 20-30-something demographic.

 

Earth-shine

(4,044 posts)
35. A lot of us in the senior cohort were in our 30s when we discovered DU.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 10:41 PM
Mar 2

Now I'm 59.

Unlike the poster directly above mine, I'm not at all insulted by this poll.

DemocraticPatriot

(4,449 posts)
48. I made it to the nearest open convenience store after midnight,
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 03:48 AM
Mar 3

before that I was asleep....

That was the extent of my 'getting out on Saturday night'!


LOL

Polybius

(15,514 posts)
54. IMO, there's a fatal flaw in this poll
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 01:39 PM
Mar 3

You stop at 50's. Why? DU has a huge amount of members in their 60's, 70's, 80's, and even a few in their 90's. I'm 50 and I don't think my group should be last.

Polybius

(15,514 posts)
56. I hear ya
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 02:49 PM
Mar 3

I just wish that I was a year younger so I wouldn't have to be in the last group. I'm also curious as to how many are over 80.

Hope22

(1,894 posts)
61. We were the young people! 🤣😂
Sun Mar 10, 2024, 08:51 PM
Mar 10

I translate the message to we ….need fewer old people. I’m not actually certain how we were let out of the house after the initial Covid shockwave! I do know my local League of Women Voters members are registering young people every week at the local High Schools!

TBF

(32,114 posts)
63. Flaw is that Gen Z doesn't know what a message board is -
Wed Apr 10, 2024, 07:13 PM
Apr 10

my kiddos would only see it if you acted your post out in video & put it up on Tik Tok!

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