Sometimes I post because I see something interesting and want to comment on it (either here or somewhere else). Often these are polls in that I'll be interested in a subject but curious where the rest of DU is.

Sometimes I post because i'm in a bad mood and want to pick a fight - I shouldn't do this, and I'm trying to stop.

Bryant

I fail at that once in a while.

When things seem fine, or at least neutral, I feel less inclination to post.

It's whn I need to express anger, frustration or need to find kindred political spirits (or even generally kindred spirits I disagree with) that my typing fingers go into gear.

In terms of making positive contributions, I usually channel that into other activities in the 3D world.


Just being honest.

...

Eventually, you'll get out of the Castle.

I think I'm more suited to the Lounge. People can be too smug and snarky on GD a lot of the time. I'm highly sensitive and menopausal...not a strong combo, lol! I also don't like being attacked for my own personal opinion on things. Live and let live, I guess

You are one I can count on to be nice to me

Sometimes, I'm afraid I get frustrated and post unkind things, but I try not to.

I'll post an opinion, and don't really have any 'pet' type issues.

the discussion. Silence says nothing.

Thanks!

... like no other site I've encountered on the innerwebs.

I also enjoy working to help ensure that those representing themselves as capital-D "Democrats" have their feet held to the fire regarding their adherence to traditional Democratic values. I love seeing support for LOWERING the eligibility age for Social Security while INCREASING Social Security benefits. I love seeing folks advocate for Medicare for All or raising the minimum wage.

And I love seeing folks call out politicians with a "D" after their names who call instead for cutting such programs, such as this post from phantom power ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022517062

We're reading your posts.

It seems my average is about 1200 posts per year averaging a little over 2 per day; however, I don't post everyday. I mostly read stuff on du. I respond to posts from time to time and put forward my own ideas and/or agendas via threads. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: buying local, sustainable farming, micro farming, community activism, the fight against GMO's, stopping TPP and the XL pipeline, supporting liberal candidates (on the rare occasion I can actually find one), promoting local small businesses, trying to enlighten people that the San Joaquin Valley is not a "cesspool," and, well, that's this week.

Thanks for not being silent.

No message is sent or received.

I press them and words come up. Yay!

I know I haven't left any doubt..

I post on DU mainly because I know at least someone here will get most of my stupid jokes. Real life consists of a series of vignettes of me getting odd looks because I'm laughing and unable to explain why I'm laughing to practically anyone around me.

The more fool, I...

My old skin has become too thin for those forums. I read all the MM posts I see, knowing they will be well-reasoned, even if I disagree. I've been guilty of posting-while-pissed at a response and subsequent self-deletes but I am a bit more cautious these days.

I post OPs in the California Group where we have similar problems and my ultra-left views don't get me screamed at (usually).

I never expect everyone to agree with me, and know that some don't.

When I joined DU, I loved this place because there were actually people who thought like I did. It was rare IRL to find very many people with similar political views.

Over the years, more right wing thoughts and post have appeared. I took on a self defined role of trying to defend this site I had grown to love, this site that was one of my only comforts in the depths of hell years that were the Bush admin, from being desecrated by those who appear to abhor the left. That seems to be where I am now.

forgot my family.

I've found. More's the pity.

And I doubt more than 200 were OPs, and 95% of those LBN.

I mostly use DU to keep up on LBN at work. I probably read 25+ posts for every one I reply to.

I tend to go to another room, so as not to get blamed.

and to post the occasional commentary of my own.

May 2001-today.

I have noticed your occasional commentary.

No...just kidding. This is just a great place to post, and I am committed to the Democratic party.

So far, I've not been contacted by any such people.

and I enjoy following certain cases. Plus I've met interesting people here. I really look forward to talking with them.

I signed onto DU just after the 2000 election and was happy to find a community of likeminded people. Although I never put anyone on ignore, I will choose not to interact with people who appear mired in negativity and tearing things down. I look for solutions and common ground. I also have no use for interacting with those who feel the need to insult others. We are all in this together and need to start acting as a cohesive unit because the 2014 election is so hugely important. I post because I care about what happens to this nation and its people.

Seriously, though, I work at home, so I have no office full of people to talk to. My wife also writes, but we're in separate parts of the house, so we're usually head down most of the day. So, DU is a welcome break, and a frequent one.

is a nice outing for me.. I work from home 99.9% of the time....the isolation is not for everyone..

I make it a point to go somewhere every day, so I'll be out and interacting in person with people I don't know.

But, you could try posting one.

It also feels like home.

how people manage ideology. What do they think and why do they think it? How have they come to the conclusions they have drawn and why do they think they will work? I see no need to tell people what I think they want to hear, there are entire industries devoted to that already.

I tend to look at that, too. As a pragmatic sort of person, applied ideology is most interesting to me. I'm philosophically a socialist and would rather live in a smaller, socialistic society, where there would be a chance for that ideology to succeed. I don't live in such a society, though, and so trying to apply ideology is always problematic. Here in the U.S., we're so far from being homogeneous that we actually have no real ideology at all that is agreed to by a majority. I expect that we never will, which always creates problems for anyone who is insistent on a particular ideology. It's a recipe for frustration.

I'll spare you the autobiography, but you're right. We're far from homogenous as a people. But I think there is a veneer of homogeneity that is screwing up healthy cultural development in this country. The internet is one of the primary culprits, although I guess all mass media is bad enough as well. Chris Hedges calls the internet an "intellectual ghetto" and I think he's right.

We seem to be forgetting how to get along with each other, and that could cause problems if we don't figure it out.

as you say. Part of that is a single-issue focus on the part of some. I wish we could just say, "Well, I disagree with you on that issue, but we agree on so many others. Maybe we can still work together."

I live in one of the reddest states. It's nice to know that there are other people out there in the lower 48 I can chat with who are near me on the political spectrum.

the process is unique but, mainly I come for the kicks ...

in 2012 because it seemed like sort of a sanctuary from Ron Paul worship and GOP/Libertarian talking points going on in the YouTube comments and on Yahoo Answers. Lately, though, it has gotten kinda nutso and nasty around here, especially ever since the NSA story sparked. Just because of this one disagreement on surveillance, I have seen people calling for Obama's head on here (a site for Democrats), of all places. People conveniently forget that other countries have conducted some form of surveillance with no issues, and that our program dates back to way before Obama was even elected Senator. I don't even have to go into the Yahoo Politics section anymore just to read about Obama's "Big Brother Fascism". Who needs DailyPaul when I can hear about the imminent "police state" right here?

I also find it odd that many of the highest recced threads (outside of the LOLcats) on this Democratic site happen to be those that are railing against the Democratic President. Meanwhile, on threads concerning issues where he does something that the Left generally agrees with (or when he is supported by prominent progressives like Warren and Sanders), those threads maybe get several dozen recs maximum, and then they quickly sink. The hair-on-fire threads are what get into the hundreds here and stay up for days.

I still like to log on to DU daily to see the news before it's reported on TV, and to voice my own opinions on the issues. However, this site is turning out to not be the place that I thought it was in the brochure.

No question about it. A lot of people have individual issues that they consider to be the only issue worth discussing. That can lead to some serious dissension.

I check DU first for news, I know that things get posted here quickly. I like to read other liberals' take on the events of the day also.