This is a reply I made to another discussion post (in excerpt highlight):

His/Her post:

My reply: I love the screenplay dialogues in the movie "The Breakfast Club".

Wow !

This comment reminds me of the way in which the character "Bender" was
shamed and invalidated by the other kids in the movie. Here at DU, it could be
interpreted as a D-Bag statement of contempt, deserving of an alert. But why
waste our time ? This is what I have come to expect on DU.

These are my thoughts on the matter, which I want to make as an OP here ...

Here is a fictional example of the type of post you would least likely see on a
DU thread: "Oh, I see your point. I was wrong. Sorry."

This is what you are most likely to see, in general, in many of the discussion threads:

The need to be right (win an argument) vs the aspiration to find the best solutions
The unwillingness to concede even one inch in an argument (pride)
Getting in the last word -- people talking at each other -- the opposite of a
productive, adult conversation.
Bullying of those who don't cow to an established party line (litmus tests)
Snarky smugness disguised as cleverness.
Members pulling rank over those with less seniority and tenure
Undeserved, unprovoked insults
Lectors who love to hector
Quickness to judge but slow to understand
Assumptions of another person's motives. (the DU secret police surveillance team)
Cliques and Claques dominating discussions
Personalities placed before principles
Straining out the gnat while swallowing the camel (OMG -- a religious reference!)
Accusations made without merit, or based upon complete misinterpretations.
Pissing contests and rock fights

If we treat each other this rudely, how can we expect kindness and consideration
from people who are living outside our little circle ? How can this behavior attract
other people to the DU website and to our avowed brand of politics ? If it continues,
it will chase away many who are already here -- myself included. I have been a
resident here since the days of Bush v. Gore, and I would like to stay. DU, "The Daily
Show" and Colbert were my places to get reliable news and my daily dose of humor.

I am one who prefers listening more than I do speaking because I tend to learn more
when I am listening. However, the act of listening here has become nearly intolerable,
and I feel that I have one foot out the door already because of it. I am not certain
of the reason, but the primary election season has brought out the worst in some of us.

If you have the urge to accuse me of being a scold, or a prig, or self-righteous, or to
tell me good riddance, then my point is validated. But, this post isn't about me --
it's about the dysfunction at DU. This isn't a scolding; it is a plea for help. In the end,
DU could collapse under the weight of its own shortcomings if we allow them to go on
un-addressed.

Good night, and good luck.