What do we really mean?

[lefthandedskyhook]

Many opinion posts about Ukraine have had next to zero response here on DU. Is it all about "posting to the stars" here? Do we really care about people dying right now?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. What does "posting to the stars" mean?

[lefthandedskyhook]

3. popular posters are favored here as usual

.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. huh

[lefthandedskyhook]

25. we might have gotten off on the wrong foot

i'm a union guy from the late 70s

[WhiskeyGrinder]

45. Oh? Doing what?

[lefthandedskyhook]

46. formsetting

for the carpenters union

[lefthandedskyhook]

26. I'm just very hot about Ukraine for personal reasons involving death and suffering

please understand

[Hekate]

36. So? Relationships are built over time, usually with posters who don't disappear for a decade or two

… but stick around and show us who they are.

Welcome back, by the way.

[BlackSkimmer]

47. I don't even know who the "popular" posters are. There are several who post constantly, but

as long as I’ve been a member,I’ve never noticed anyone who seems especially “popular.”

[lame54]

50. Seriously?...

Can't think of one?

[BlackSkimmer]

51. I can think of half a dozen who post constantly.

The amount of time they spend on a message board amazes me.

[lame54]

52. I can think of several who sneeze...

And automatically make it to the greatest page

[BlackSkimmer]

54. Lol.

Well, there ya go.

[XanaDUer2]

62. Lol!

[MineralMan]

2. Link to an example or two, please.

I'm seeing lots of discussion here on Ukraine. Show me the posts you are talking about, OK?

[lefthandedskyhook]

4. just look friend :)

.

[ShazzieB]

5. You're the one making this accusation.

You've been asked to back it up with examples. If you can't be bothered to do that, don't expect us to take your post seriously.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. +1

[lefthandedskyhook]

14. see below

.

[lefthandedskyhook]

16. you really must be kidding

.

[MineralMan]

6. Uh, You're the One Making the Claim.

You're the one who needs to support that claim.

[lefthandedskyhook]

7. Here you go:

My father in law was given a train ride by NAZIs from Ukraine to a forced labor camp. He survived and came to New York. Stalin had already starved to death many millions of Ukrainians. Need I go on? Putin is stupid kgb scum. Watch "The Americans" if you don't understand

[MineralMan]

10. Was that posted here? I missed it somehow.

[lefthandedskyhook]

11. Wake up man

.

[lagomorph777]

38. You provided the content; not the link

If the subject line doesn't grab people, it will sink.

It's more effective to try again, with a carefully crafted subject line, than to chide people for not catching it as it flies by on a very busy forum.

[lefthandedskyhook]

39. point taken

.

[honest.abe]

61. That's a very insulting comment.

Do you expect everyone to remember a single post among the hundreds posted every hour??

It would be helpful to post a link.

[dlilafae]

12. LeftHS, perhaps consider this...

... we have been undergoing a tremendous amount of crapola here in the U.S. ~ Some people mentally can't handle it. So, they are checking out, or passing by due to self-preservation!

~ Like it or not, I've played devil's advocate my whole life. Through the years, I've tried to get my kids to see things from different perspectives.

[lefthandedskyhook]

13. I apologize

I am sad for those dying in Ukraine today

[dlilafae]

37. please, no need to apologize, LeftHSH

I was just trying to fill a backstory as to why...

I am also sad for the people/children of Ukraine. I feel rather helpless actually. But we can send aid, and offer our comfort, so that is something! Chin up! I was having a blue day the other day, and four or five DU'ers took a portion of their day, to also comfort me.


~ It's all too I get it!

[snowybirdie]

15. Most of us

are being inundated with war news here and on tv. We watch because we care. Every posting can't be answered. This will go on for a very long time, unfortunately.

[lefthandedskyhook]

17. What if your child was on that battlefield today?

It IS a BIG DEAL

[lefthandedskyhook]

18. I'm sorry

My wife has blood relatives there

[snowybirdie]

19. My child has

been on battlefields in the mid-east. But he didn't want me to freak out over it. Life has to carry on. As the British said during the London bombings, "keep calm and carry on".

[lefthandedskyhook]

20. Yes we must

but it is all so wrong

[snowybirdie]

22. I agree

I sincerely hope your family stays safe and well. It's a very helpless feeling.

[lefthandedskyhook]

24. Thank you for your kind thoughts

.

[LuckyCharms]

29. Excellent signature line! (it does not apply to the current admin, but still...

[lefthandedskyhook]

30. Glad you heard it

Was lucky enough to see them live @ LA Wall tour

[lefthandedskyhook]

31. Watched your link

nice

[lefthandedskyhook]

33. You House Proud Town Mouse

Ha Ha, Charade you are


Words by Roger Waters

currently regarding: putin

[crickets]

44. Amazing version. Chilling how relevant it still is. nt

[BlackSkimmer]

48. The war is a big deal.

Replying to random posts on a message board…not so much.

[Sympthsical]

59. I honestly do not understand

Why you are forever mau-mauing my important work.

[BlackSkimmer]

60. Lol!

[sarisataka]

21. I apologize if my posting frequency

Is disappointing to you.

My only explanation I can offer is I work a real, grown-up type job.I am not able to even read every thread I would like let alone engage in multiple conversations.

I will endeavor to improve.

[lefthandedskyhook]

23. Your offense taken is noted

I do not know you at all

[sarisataka]

28. Nor I you, which is not surprising since

I have a habit of reading profiles. Allow me to say hello 👋

I have been following this closely since I spent a couple decades preparing and training for combat against the USSR/Russia. I have put that training to practice on more than one occasion though in other regions.

Here is a human interest post I was able to make related to the conflict- https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216397929

For myself, I post OPs I find interesting and not already covered by others. I do not judge their value by the number of replies or lack of. Some will reply, most won't.

[lefthandedskyhook]

40. That's the more accurate story

Thank You

[lefthandedskyhook]

56. No worries

Hang in there friend

[LuckyCharms]

27. I do not yet know how to respond to posts about

Ukraine because I can't wrap my head around the situation yet, and it is breaking my heart. Words seem hollow to me...at least my words do.

It's not a popularity contest here...a lot of people don't even look at the name they are responding to. They respond to the post, not the person.

[lefthandedskyhook]

41. Much deeper

Young adults in trenches are being killed

[BlackSkimmer]

49. Thank you.

There are probably half a dozen names I notice. Not always for the best reasons either.

[iemanja]

32. there are many posts about Ukraine

But as someone mentioned above, sometimes the poster's popularity matters more than the post itself. I have posted what I think is really important news and gotten few responses.

[LuckyCharms]

34. It's just the way the internet is.

Responses all depend on who happens to be reading the forum at the time you post.

I have a ton of posts that sink.

Has nothing to do with me as a person...it's kind of like the luck of the draw.

[Hekate]

35. I post things in the dead of the night that sink like a stone. I come back after sun-up & self-kick

Sometimes a fresh audience picks up on it. Sometimes not.

[58Sunliner]

42. Of course we do. But DU is not the only medium some post on.

I get my info from multiple sources and can not reply to everything. Right now I'm trying to decide who to donate to. There are several sites available who need help.

[lefthandedskyhook]

43. Respect to you

the feeling is mutual

[Meowmee]

53. I am not sure which posts you mean

But I am sure people do care, a lot. We have also been dying here, over 1 mil from covid and over 2000 are still dying every day, this country has been devastated by a monster fascist, things are not great here. Democracy is threatened here. I see what is happening in Ukraine as a direct result of people here voting for a fascist monster who helped bring this about.

[lefthandedskyhook]

55. Wow

It all matters

[Meowmee]

57. Yes agree it does

I am not sure what you are trying to do here but this is your second post where you seem to be implying that no one really cares about what is happening in Ukraine or the people dying there. Once again you are wrong, people do care a lot. I myself feel physically ill seeing what is happening in on many levels.


A lot is being done openly and behind the scenes to try to help without provoking a nuclear debacle- if you are really reading the numerous posts here about Ukraine you should be able to see that.

[Sympthsical]

58. I don't talk about what I don't know about

I have no idea what is happening in the war. I'm not reading unconfirmed Twitter reports and every breathless unsourced update, rumor, or claim. Why? I will know the exact same amount of information as everyone else if I wait and read for five minutes tomorrow instead of spending hours glued to a computer now.

I don't know how things are going in Ukraine. Hopefully well for Ukrainians. I'll wait until confirmed, verified information is presented, read it, and move on. I don't care too much about what social media is saying about international affairs. Why would I? The same people who clearly don't read books suddenly have insight into an actual war? If they were giving their opinion about a Netflix show, sure, maybe. Otherwise, why on earth is what some rando says something anyone needs to be cleaved to all day long?

I've posted almost nothing about the current conflict anywhere because I do not know what's going on fully. I have no special insight. I have no predictions. I have no sense of how things are going. I do not lay claim to the subtleties and particulars of international diplomacy. I do not care if this bit or that bit is good for my side in a partisan way. We'll not know how things play politically until the matter is sufficiently drawn out or over.

When someone credible has news, I'll read it. Not sure what else should be done. But I know I won't learn anything or be more informed by reading social media.

In fact, it is often the opposite.