Gain perspective...see the wider world and then dive back in when ready.

Freedom of speech and expression is paramount.

of why I come here in the first place...

Thanks for the feedback!

Good one!

I jut try to remember that DU ain't real. Real people post here, but it ain't real.

But sort of par for the course.

if you like to watch how people manage ideology. This place is all ideas and no action. It's fun to watch the ideas.

Members here are acting in a lot of ways. What you're going to see in a discussion forum is discussion--but we've also seen tons of reports from members about their participation in political campaigns, protests, and other actions.

It's neither fair nor accurate to suggest that DUers are all talk and no action.

But that doesn't mean much in a forum where the vast majority of members are anonymous. I view this as more of a think tank than an organizational committee.

Thats my answer.

that's why, like Florida, it is now a refuge.

hardcore Snowden supporters, and "All white people have white privilege!" pushers, the climate doomers, and the occasional Obama bashers, it can feel pretty alien sometimes, like you've stepped into Fire Dog Lake, Gradient Lair, Greenwald's site or some other over-the-top wannabe joint.

But I try not to let the weirdness get to me. We're a big tent and undoubtedly, there's going to be some fringes along the side; that's something we're just going to have to deal with. But we can survive that, as we all share one thing in common: we're all Democrats and mostly liberal to boot. So it all works out in the end.

That's such a weird feeling to be categorized in that way.

Oh boy did I catch hell for them. I ran across a couple recently. This is from 2006.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x697159

It took a while, but now I am criticized for doing the same thing Nader was doing in that post of mine. Times change. I hold both parties accountable in some areas.

We got to keep post count. I'd like to do that one again.

That was such a confusing time.

And yes it was.

My late hubby and I were so excited and involved in politics for the first time ever. I remember I defended everything Dean did, every stance he took. We live and learn. One good thing from back then, we really thought we could make a difference. I don't feel like that much anymore.

Now I can see the harm in defending a politician so devotedly. It does not work.

Though in terms of climate change, if I may ask: do you believe that everything is always going to be much worse than we've been told, that Earth is irrevocably doomed to collapse and humanity doomed to lose civilization or even our total existence? If not , especially if not the latter two, then you're not a doomer.

of confessional forum, where they expose all their deepest, darkest secrets for all to see. That makes no sense to me. If someone needs a therapist or counselor, DU is no substitute.

It is a message forum with politics as the focus, and some of us use it for entertainment's sake above all. DU can be a lot of fun!

If that's correct, then I think it's a healthy thing. If it doesn't appeal to you, ignore it.

I do ignore it, but yea, it is really foreign to my nature as a very private person when I see that.

I don't say people can't do it, just that its not my thing.

And why do you think getting weirded out needs to be remedied?

I take small breaks

The everyday unremarkable "weird" becomes normal.

Sometimes they just make me mad and I wish I could oust them from DU. That'd be my dream, to oust all the right wingers that infiltrate DU and pose as libs, yet spend their time posting deceptive and conflicting posts.

For one, and this has been borne out by polls, etc- DU is significantly demographically older than other corners of the internet.

This becomes glaringly apparent around cultural issues, IMHO. Something like a Miley Cyrus snafu brings it to the fore.

Post a picture of someone covered in ink/holes and the responses will make you think you posted a picture of someone that grafted a live goat to their chest.

or is that something you do to yourself?

I would interpret "being weirded" as being confronted with something you're unfamiliar with and you're uncomfortable with it. Maybe it's too many people who are different from your personal world. Some of us learn from unknown points of view or sensitivities, other people don't want to look. You have to do whatever it is you think makes your life work.

This OP makes an excellent example of why we have groups and why GD should be "general discussion" free of flame posts or inflammatory goading. It also is a good example of why groups should be both protected AND allowed unrestricted free speech within its own parameters. That way people who want information they can handle can go there and.. handle it. Others who are weirded out can just stay... wherever.

attempting to bully another portion of DU

My remedy is don't read the stupid shit if it's annoying me.

Or vodka. Vodka works, too.

All this fuss over a sports magazine is mind numbingly stupid. You want to talk about gender inequality? Fine. Discuss wage disparity, or reproductive rights....anything but trivial magazines. Is the media propping up an unrealistic image of how a women should appear? Sure, but then the media rarely presents something as it really is since the media is largely trying to get you to BUY something.

Putting my ranting aside, the best remedy is to log-off.