DU doesn't feel "safe" to me anymore.

Lately I feel sad about the state of DU.

I know that Skinner always says that DU hasn't really changed since it began, but I really feel that lately it has.

I've always "argued" with people about stuff, but lately it just seems like people are just downright mean about anything. What prompted me to post this doesn't even have to do with AR, but actually a post I made about "Brokeback Mountain" in the Lounge. I posted about what a haunting movie it was and I got (some) snarky responses.

I used to go to the lounge to post about emotional issues, and it used to be pretty safe to say that you were hurting about this or that. I don't feel that way anymore.

Do any of you feel the same way? Or am I just crazy?

There are so many people here that DU has broken into factions, sort of.

It's best to note who the people are that you agree with, and make a point of talking to them. Don't let it be you against a lot of people. Let people stand with you.
:hi:

Not only do I learn a lot in hear, but it's really nice to know that I am not the only one on DU that feels the way that I do regarding AR, the environment, and social equity (re food.)

And I have two lists. ;) The smart people that I can respect/people I agree with list and the possible freepers/intellectually lazy/people that I usually disagree with list. It's not that I equate all three of the latter, but why spend all of my time banging my head against an emotional brick wall? :shrug:

more pleasant. :D

I sure wish real life came with an IGNORE button.

Yes, I sometimes feel that way; however, I am fairly convinced that much of the current turmoil will pass. Once Rush started making DU a rant topic on his show, we all had to know that some things were going to change around here--at least for the time being. This too shall pass. :hug:

And as for the lounge, there have always been cliques and odd factions in there. I mainly use it as an escape from GD, although there are people in there who I correspond with via PM.

Regarding "Brokeback Mountain," some people just have strong emotional reactions to that topic. Others got a little tired of the topic in general. It was played out in some quarters. However, I was very surprised at a minor league baseball game the other day. When the game gets slow, or somebody is warming up a new pitcher, I have a tendency to listen to the conversations going on around me. There were two women sitting behind me who were having a conversation about that particular movie. I am fairly certain that they were of a freeper bent, although I can probably tell you for certain later, but one of them surprised me! She busted out with how she had never been more convinced by a performance than that those two men were in love! I was quite surprised. :)

There are definitely groups of people in there who are "friends" and I think sometimes they will make posts just to make others in their "group" laugh without thinking about the effect their jokes have on others. I don't think they are being intentionally mean; I think they are, in their own way, trying to be funny.

:hug:

some of those people are downright vicious, and others are simply infantile. It's not what it used to be, imho. I also see a surge to the right in general; the new mantra seems to be "I'm selfish and damned proud of it! Got a problem with that"? The majority doesn't want to sign any petitions against war, environmental devastation, electronic voting, seal slaughter, toxins in our food, for workers rights, or much of anything else, for that matter. They get pissed if someone gets thrown off an airplane for wearing an anti-Bush t-shirt or if a celebrity or official says something slanderous-but real issues where the health and survival of others is concerned? Nah. They don't seem to be interested in LIVING a liberal lifestyle or ACTING like a conscious liberal, they only seem interested in crowing that they're "as liberal as anyone else here" while driving an SUV, stuffing their faces with burgers, smoking, collecting guns, voting pro-death penalty, waving the confederate flag and shopping at Wal-mart before driving home to their McMansion filled with their seven kids who won't recycle. Geez, sometimes DU feels like a Twilight zone episode to me.

I was concerned that it was just my perception.

I guess I just need to learn to accept the "new" DU and stop expecting it to be like the old one.

Lots of people proud of destroying the environment and being all-around assholes. I have barely been posting in the major forums for a while now, I've mostly been sticking to a couple of groups.

Just what do people think "liberal" means anyway? How can you do all those things and be "progressive?"

There were a few other anti-environmental screeds this weekend(during earth day on a liberal board :mad: ) as well as the NRA nuts out in force in a couple of threads.

I instead was at the very cool "Worldfest" celebration on Earth Day (I linked to it in the "I Suck" thread)

I don't get it...isn't concern for the environment a progressive issue?

What would happen if I started a thread about it? :scared:

I think that the number of nitwits has probably grown in proportion to the number of non-nitwits. Rather than having a couple of scathing out-and-out jerks, you have 20. However, hopefully, rather than having only a couple of folks that'll get your back and throw down on your side opposed to their "jerkiness" you also have 20...or 30.

I don't know. I haven't been around long enough to be able to perceive a change, I don't think.

Regardless, it's always going to seem worse if instead of getting slapped once, you're getting slapped 5 times. Take into consideration though, that it might seem better if when slapped 5 times, rather than having 3 posts telling those folks that they're assholes, you have 20.

Lastly, the 3 greatest words I think I've ever been told/taught fit in well here. In all cases, "consider the source" and I think you might feel a tiny bit better about those that are mean.

it is different .Sometimes I feel like a stranger in a strange land here . I seldom post any more