Are any of you less active on DU than you used to be?

[LAS14]

I am, but I'm not sure why. I did a search for MineralMan posts since October. It looks like he's backed off. I wanted to search for some other familiar names, but I couldn't remember what they were. I was disappointed today that a post I made got no responses, after going through two pages. I don't think that ever used to happen. It wasn't about Trump...

Am I imagining things?

tia
las

[Cairycat]

1. I never expect a lot in the way of replies

I am really happy if a post I make gets some recs. I think the whole Israel/Palestine thing has hurt discourse here.

But I rarely post in GD, mostly in Iowa and Cooking and Baking.

[walkingman]

23. I agree with your comment about the Israel/Palestine thing.

I also never expect replies - just use the forum as a sounding board for my thoughts and lots of frustrations. In truth I need to expand my interests - maybe in the future ☮

[LAS14]

42. Israel/Palestine.... Bernie/Hillary

Has anyone suggested making protected forums for strongly opposing sides to be supportive, like we did in 2016?

[Arazi]

80. I asked Earl to move all I/P discussions back to their own forum

A couple days ago tbh.

The conversations are repetitive and now that the war is entering its 4th month, everyone pretty much has hardened their opinion so it’s getting toxic. Nobody’s listening to the other side anymore.

We’re in election season. Banish I/P back to the “other side” and let’s get on to Dem candidates, events, and progress

[radius777]

90. I don't agree. It's an ongoing war, not a side topic.

The war which our gov't is supporting should be discussed openly in general discussion, so that the public can stay informed.

[MustLoveBeagles]

88. I agree about the Isreal/Palastine thing

I won't moderate the forum again until it's out of GD.

[cachukis]

2. Suspect a weariness.

[LAS14]

43. That has a ring to it for me. nt

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Not Me

But, it's possible.
MM occasionally steps away for other priorities & then returns. He did it a couple years ago. (I think that's the right timing.)
Naturally, DU is not most folks' primary priority, so we're bound to see lulls fir people, time to time.

[Glorfindel]

4. No, I've never been a prolific poster.

I do visit every day, and recommend posts I like. Occasionally, I'll respond to a post, and I always try to participate in polls, etc. I'd be lost without DU, and I hope there isn't a "falling away."

[True Dough]

5. I don't get many replies to my posts either

but I get endless DU mail requests asking for salacious things. You just never know who you're dealing with!

[orangecrush]

28. I'm jealous!

[Niagara]

34. OMG, True Dough!

[LAS14]

44. Really? I never have. How do you rate???? nt

[True Dough]

53. How do I rate?

In my own mind? Or in the minds of those who have been disappointed?

[LAS14]

54. In the minds of those who have been disappointed. nt

[True Dough]

56. Doesn't that question answer itself?

[LAS14]

57. No. Sorry. nt

[Sky Jewels]

6. I think part of it is that under the new system, people can rec posts, so

they don't feel the need to reply as much.

[LAS14]

45. ???? We always been able to rec posts. Am I misunderstanding you?? nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

52. We've always been able to recommend threads, but not individual posts in them

Now we can do that, some people may not be posting "+1" and so on so much.

[LAS14]

55. Ah! I hadn't noticed that. Thanks. nt

[enid602]

79. Rec

You’re less likely to be reported if you merely rec. And you can avoid the swarm of wasps that otherwise will respond with a 10 page dissertation.

[Sky Jewels]

84. Right. That's what I meant.

Thanks.

[JanMichael]

7. Much so

[captain queeg]

8. I've backed off some. But I go thru periods like this occasionally.

[uppityperson]

9. Very much so

Hi to everyone

[NewHendoLib]

19. copy cat! (look below down the thread)

[Niagara]

10. I've noticed quite a prolific DU-ers have backed off.

Sometimes people need a break, politics gets to be a bit much. It's like needing a break from work.


I keep spotting what seems to be trolls here and there as well. We recently had one that received an abundant number of hides before being FFR'ed. Then another pops up fairly quickly. Thank goodness for the ignore feature and MIRT.


It was awhile ago, but Mineral Man made an OP stating that he wasn't going to post as much but on occasion I'll see a reply that he's made.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Yes less active

in the sense of not originating posts. I used to monitor Xcrement site for news. No more.

But I do a lot of one liner posts, wisecracks, insight. The activism and anxiety of the masses in re: SF has passed. The crisis is being handled by professionals with real political power now. It's popcorn time.

[sky_masterson]

12. Several years ago I posted alot.

Most of the ones who replied back have moved on.
So I guess that is why I post very little.

[Quixote1818]

13. I wax and wayne. Been more active lately as the campaign has ramped up. I come here looking for good news. nt

[Kaleva]

14. I dare say most people who were here when I joined are gone now

When I go back over the archives, I see many names that are no longer here. When I click on their profile, they may have been tombstoned, PPR'd or FFR. The two most common reasons though are that they didn't agree to the new terms or just simply stopped posting.

I also think that the average age of a DUer is much older today then it was 20 years ago. I was in my forties when I joined back during Bush's last year in office and am now in my mid sixties. Those who have been around for a long time are now senior citizens instead of middle aged.

[Baltimike]

15. I post less. I can't keep up with who is infighting whom...

and most times I notice someone else has made my point.

Mostly, I just can't keep the cliques straight and don't want to get caught in those webs

[msfiddlestix]

16. I am a lot less active. It's nothing to do with DU per se

It's about coping with every crises on the planet, but mostly the crises with our democracy via our culture and institutions.

Look, I never looked at the DOJ and the FBI as a brilliant pillar of truth and fairness.
Not ever, really. I've been around 3/4 of a century with Hoover in charge of "law and order".

Bit I never saw them as bent towards treasonous support for a demented psychopath, and a in bed with global "enemies.
I never worried that our courts would give favor to someone who clearly is a dangerous psychopath. I could go on.
Ukraine, ME, Christo-fascists down at the border, governors that are outright nutters.
And it's all in the headlines, day in and day out. No relief, only more of it!
And meanwhile, that thing is actually freely campaigning for President!
I come here on the off chance he's been arrested, or that he experienced a cardiac arrest.

Nope.

[Think. Again.]

17. I backed away from posting...

...for a short time after being repeatedly attacked on one issue in particular.

I believe the attacks were mostly from a small group of trolls, but of course, I felt should I treat my discussions with them in good faith, and that became very tiresome and even hurtful so I stopped engaging until I felt the coast was clear again for mature discussion.

So far, so good...

[Niagara]

35. It's against DU's TOS to attack another member.

It's infuriating when this happens and is more infuriating when these posts are allowed to stand. There are times where the responses are teetering on the fence and members can read between the lines.


We've also had trolls that have broken other DU's TOS by specifically calling out and stalking other members.


It's good to read all view points but they absolutely need to be civil when there's a disagreement.


I'm glad that you're here with us on DU!

[Think. Again.]

39. Thank you.

Yes, I believe there are a few trolls (or maybe it's just one using multiple accounts?) who are very careful to skirt the TOS in their efforts to disrupt intelligent discussion, to sow the seeds of rightwing ideology, and to chase away leftwing thinkers.

DU isn't immune to the games the rightwing are willing to play. In any case, Thank You for your support!

[NewHendoLib]

18. Very much so.

Way too little actual response/discussion/interchange. Way too many screaming all caps headlines. Way too many lazy video posts. I am also shocked at some of the opinions being posted here, some of the reactions. I don't feel my politics or views have really changed - but my goodness, I often don't know where I am here reading some of the things posted.

And aside from all that, I am just very discouraged and burned out by so much of this country in general - really pulling back from politics period. It is just too discouraging to see how easy lies become truth, so discouraging to see the rampant both-sides games of the media.

My wife and I feel old, at 68 - social networking is ruining so much. We've pulled back into our our hobbies, into each other and our pets and family. Too little makes any rational sense any more.

[yonder]

21. Agree and a +1.

In my view, reactive opinions have increasingly dominated the discourse here, especially since Oct. 7th.

[NewHendoLib]

22. thank you. I thought my post killed the thread!

[uppityperson]

40. Quite so

[herding cats]

109. Hi, you!

It's so good to see you!

[LAS14]

46. This is worrying.

"really pulling back from politics period." I'm afraid I feel this in myself. I'm way unexcited by Biden, which is dumb, because he's done a terrific job given what he had to work with. I've forced myself to give once a year to the DNCC, DSCC and DNC, regardless of my enthusiasm. I'm afraid I can believe it when people say the youth aren't going to vote. We should all be super motivated to defeat Trump. I believe that, but the adrenaline isn't running.

[NewHendoLib]

66. It is much more than that.

I am excited by Democrats because they are not Republicans. Biden MUST win. It has to go beyond our own selfish desires. I am not picking on you, but Biden's low approval ratings to me is indicative of how narcissistic people have become.

My wishing to pull back is due to a deep disillusionment of people in general - the world today, all about influencers, egos, selling shit, power, money, greed.

My wife and I have not changed, but much of the world has moved away from us, so we are deciding to not engage.

I've said it - and felt it - for many years, but with the exception of a few people, I love animals more than what today's version of people is. (awkward sentence, but you get my drift).

I am taking the energy I put into arguing and paying attention to politics and sharing what I've learned gardening for 40 years and coaching and teaching people to grow stuff. No politics has ever crept into a single workshop I've given - hundreds spreading over 10 years.

[chia]

64. I pass on all video OPs. My personal POV is I'm sick of them, and they're all through latest discussions so I

scan the post titles in General Discussion and Breaking News and move on if there's nothing that catches my eye.

I think internet burnout is across all platforms, to be honest. Oversaturation, overstimulation, a firehose of outrage that never turns off.

[NewHendoLib]

67. I have so many different types of outrage burnout. Screaming headline burnout.

TFG is done for headlines burnout. It has reached the level of ludicrousness.

[llmart]

86. Great summation.

Exactly how I feel. Now that I'm "playing the back nine" of my life, I really don't care to have a steady diet of what passes for news these days and nothing I write or even think or feel is going to amount to a hill of beans in the bigger picture. I do enjoy reading some of it though, especially the humor! Democrats are good at humor.

[herding cats]

108. Same here.

Life is intense and the world is sometimes overwhelming to bear witness to. I come here to be around people similar to me and discuss and decompress.

DU's natural evolution has made it look more like another form of social media, and less like the community I used to know. Which I suppose is to be expected, but I still miss the olden days of deep discussions and smacking freepers and Cavers to the curb in a united front. Yes, I'm that many DU years old.

As always, I'm happy our infrequent paths crossed on here, old friend!

[NewHendoLib]

110. That is an excellent point - the toxic nature of social media has inevitably changed the environment here

I am happy our paths cross as well.

[FSogol]

20. Yes I have. After Youngkin won, i took a 2 year break from

DU. When I returned, I've been posting less. Usually some outrageous story that missed du or some snarky replies. I read and rec, but post much less.

My criticisms

1. DU skews very old.
2. Not much discussion, people post their view or sermon and don't interact with anyone making a different point or slight disagreement.
3. Some are here just to stir the shit with SSDD type posts.

[Ferrets are Cool]

24. Nope. DU is my go to for information and news.

I don't know what I would do if it were not here.

[oasis]

85. I slowed for a long time but missed the input I

got from fellow DUers.

[Raine]

25. I'm spending much less time here

I can't stand practically nothing but Trump 24/7.

[FM123]

26. Yes, I still like to come here and read sometimes but

I don't post as much anymore. It feels like eggshells a lot more than it used to....

[DFW]

27. Definitely posting less

Mostly because my personal and work schedule has been totally INSANE since December 26th. Düsseldorf to Paris to Atlanta to Charleston (SC) to Orlando to New York to Dallas to Northern Virginia/Washington to London to Düsseldorf to Brussels to Paris to Berlin, where I have about 2 hours’ of work this morning down in Neukölln before my wife and I head back over to Düsseldorf this afternoon. Next week, Paris and Brussels again and then Zürich on Saturday. Did I remember to mention that my schedule was a little crazy of late? I’m supposed to turn 72 this year. I hope I find the time.

Other than that, the incessant barrage of “Evil Israel” posts is long past the point of getting tedious. It’s an election year in the United States, where we have the fight of our lives to keep the Senate, the rights of American women are in peril, as is the very right to vote. Firearms are still killing way more civilians than they should, the climate is wreaking havoc on our agriculture, our water, our oceans, and, soon, our very demographics. The Lounge has some entertaining posts, too. All that is supposed to take a back seat to why Joe Biden needs to chastise Netanyahu, and that ten times a day? If I want to see a one trick pony, I go to the circus, not DU, which can’t do anything about it in the first place. If ten per cent of the posts on GD are Evil Israel posts, that’s ten per cent less posts for me to bother to read or respond to.

Having said all that, I fully expect things to calm down for me, at the latest by June 30, when my wife and I will hide away for five weeks in an obscure small rented house in Truro, Massachusetts, where our biggest concern will be avoiding sunburn, and whether or not the local boats brought back enough cod or monkfish that day.

[Lunabell]

29. No, more!

There's so much going on these days.

[malaise]

30. MineralMan told us he was reducing his inout

Indeed many of us still call him out and he shows up occasionally.

[blogslug]

31. I come here every day

I don't start OPs as much as I once did. I like sharing articles and images here but the enshittification of the web and *gestures everywhere* has made it difficult. Also I'm very tired.

DU is still my home though. ❤️❤️❤️

[LAS14]

47. *gestures everywhere*

*gestures everywhere* I haven't heard this before, but it sounds like it might be useful. What does it mean?

[blogslug]

61. It's a thing I've seen the kids do on the internets.

Doesn't have to be those exact words but it's a way to convey a physical expression like this:

[Walleye]

32. I am kind of tired of hearing about the disaffected youth vote, and how they're going to send a message by not voting.

Seems like it’s the same old shit we hear every election. Don’t know why they fall for the third-party candidates so easily

[NewHendoLib]

33. Kick

[Maeve]

36. Life happens

Many of us who have been here since early on have other things going on in our lives (we are all aging, after, all!) or get tired of the constant outrage that the right is so set on fostering now.

[MineralMan]

37. I'm here. Just not posting OPs much.

There's still a DU tab open all the time in my browser, and I'm reading here several times a day. However, I have grown weary of every OP I post becoming a target for the same half dozen DUers, who seem to revel in finding things to use to attack those OPs. So, I'm posting in other places.

[LAS14]

48. Can you tell us what other places?? nt

[MineralMan]

50. Nope. I'd rather not.

I have different screen names at those.

[triron]

38. Yes, much less. Multiple reasons.

[highplainsdem]

41. Probably. For some of the same reasons mentioned by NewHendoLib.

But it varies.

[LAS14]

49. I was trying to explain what seems to be going on to hubby, and he said...

... too much emotion, not enough cognition?

I told him that with his analytical skills he should write a blog!

[LAS14]

51. Have any of you gone to other platforms?

Can you tell us what they are? No need to tell us your new usernames if you don't want to.

[shanti]

103. Reddit

is my other home. I don't read politics there though - I keep it to lightweight topics.

So much has changed in the last 20 years and life goes on

[blm]

58. Somewhat.

But, mainly because of health issues the last few years. I conserve fighting energy for battling GOP, and pay less attention to Dem family conflicts.

[LW1977]

59. It's the atheists who talk down to me as if I'm a toddler for not sharing their non-beliefs

They’re not going to get me to change and telling me I believe in “fairy tails” is only gonna make wanna tell them to go F themselves.

[senseandsensibility]

73. I'm sorry you are experiencing that

Condescending comments seem to be some posters' stock in trade.

[dwayneb]

106. Some people just enjoy being dicks especially if they are "anonymous"

This has been true since the days of bulletin boards and 2400 baud modems.

[Crunchy Frog]

99. I'm an atheist myself, but I agree with you.

I find that kind of talk extremely obnoxious and don't know what they think they're accomplishing with it.

[Ms. Toad]

60. GD has become the I/P forum

And brought all of the toxicity and gaslighting along with it.

I stay out of those threads, unless I am particularly annoyed with conflating pro-Palestinian with pro-Hamas, and insisting that "he made me do it" justifies everything Netanyahu is doing.

And I'm just plain worn out.

So I'm probably posting less - but I'm also shifting some of my posting energy to the Artists forum - which reqiures way less emotional energy.

[LAS14]

65. What does I/P mean?

I tried Urban Dictionary. Not helpful.

[debm55]

74. Israeli/Palestine forum

[Ms. Toad]

75. Israel/Palestine

It is a forum on DU dedicated to discussing Israel/Palestine issues. Normally all issues related to Israel and Palestine are required to be posted in that form - precisely because of the toxicity that nearly always accompanies those discussions. There are exceptions allowing discussions to be posted in GD for current events - which is why it has now taken over GD.

[LAS14]

77. Thanks.

Like the Bernie/Hillary forums.

[Bayard]

62. Definitely in lurk mode now

I just got too disgusted by the insensitive and insulting responses about any thread concerning the state of Kentucky. Members in FL and TX probably feel the same way. I have most of the nasties on ignore now, but still don't want to deal. Its not the same DU as it was 15-20 years ago when I first joined under another name.

Back to Lurker World....

[senseandsensibility]

63. My humble suggestion is that DUers take the time to reply

more often instead of just reccing a post. If you have something to say or agree you can say why in a few words. It doesn't take that long, and makes the forum more representational. I've been trying to reply a few times a day with words not just recs. Probably takes less than two or three minutes to reply to several threads.

[NewHendoLib]

68. This has become a very valuable, important, eye opening - and cathartic - thread.

[LAS14]

71. Yes, cathartic. nt

[Aristus]

69. A number of DU-ers I liked hanging out with have either left or died.

Comes with twenty-plus years here. A lot of the OG DU-ers are gone.

I host a drinking thread in the Lounge on Friday nights. It’s currently on hiatus while abstain from alcohol and try to lose my COVID weight. So that’s less posting for the time-being.

[CTyankee]

70. I joined DU in 2004 and we've all been through a lot

Things are bound to change over time. I sometimes think it's a wonder we survived 4 years of Trump and now he's at it again and with his cult. I can only hope we've passed some of the knowledge we've acquired down to the younger DUers and that they will carry on the fight.

I'm actually optimistic. I think we're winning. It's a lot of work, true. But I think we're ahead in the game.

[LAS14]

72. I hope you're right. Good to hear some optimism. nt

[choie]

76. I've definitely stayed away recently

since October7th. The discourse here has been vitriolic.

[Jarqui]

78. I check in here every day

But I have shifted my efforts to social media to try to combat the BS there.
Seems overwhelmingly fruitless but I had to find some way to fight back.
Posting here, I feel like I'm preaching to the converted.
This site remains very important to me as it helps to keep me informed.
I'll continue to chip in where I can

[Basic LA]

81. It's a strong divide here now

Like in certain times past. I keep thinking I can't look anymore but continue to be fascinated. Half the old crew is suddenly channeling Gen. Curtis (bombs away) LeMay.

[BarbD]

82. Regrouping after October 7th.

Currently reading "Blood and Ruins" by Richard Overy, the account of the last Imperial War, 1931-1945.

I was just a kid during the war, being born in 1937. My Uncle Johnny enlisted right after Pearl Harbor ending up as a marine in the Pacific. My Uncle Billy got special permission to enlist as he was underage and ended up with Patton's Army in Italy. This was especially distressing to my grandmother who was afraid he was going to end up shooting at his relatives. My grandmother immigrated from Austria in 1902, my grandfather from Germany to avoid being conscripted in the Kaiser's army.

It is a strange and complicated world in which we are all connected in one way or another.

[honest.abe]

83. I never posted much but in the past few months things seem more depressing.

I’m sick of hearing about Trump, Israel/Palestine, polls, etc. Hopefully things will improve in the next few months.

[elocs]

87. Yes. n/t

[Rebl2]

89. I was after

they changed the format/look. After getting used to it, am more active. My husband on the other hand still doesn’t like the format and rarely looks at du anymore.

[LAS14]

93. Is he aware that there's a classic option? I think they call it something else. I'm now using it, but...

...I don't know how I got here.

[hunter]

91. Nope. Posting same as I ever have since February 2002.

Putting "Trump" and variations thereof on my "trash by keyword" list has been helpful.

There's nothing I can do about Israel / Palestine or any other bloody civil war raging on this planet, so I ignore those too, and recuse myself from jury duty when those discussions get heated.

[LAS14]

95. How do you "trash by keyword?" nt

[hunter]

98. Click the "My DU" tab at the top of the page...

... then click the "Trash Can" button to access the auto-trash by keyword feature.

There you can enter Trump, tfg, and whatever other words are commonly used in the titles of threads you don't want to see.

[dwayneb]

107. I never trash or block anything

Even if it someone that I disagree with entirely I want to understand how they think. That may come in handy one day.

[róisín_dubh]

92. I'm going on 20 years here...

though I wasn’t ever a prolific poster, I do much less now that I live abroad. It’s not that I don’t care about what happens in the US-my entire family is there after all. But local issues in the UK impact my life way more.

[myohmy2]

94. kick...

...I've been extremely disappointed...

...trump, if not in prison, should have been convicted and out of the political picture by now...Joe never gets enough credit for what he's accomplished and being a real decent president...republicans went from being wrong to slime and now to extremely dangerous...half this country is hopelessly nuts...

...I'm old, I'm tired and on my way out...it's hard to get excited when most people don't give a shit about what you believe in or care about...

...but that's okay...

...have a good day...

[H2O Man]

97. Overall, yes.

I have foggy memories of a time when I was a respected contributor of discussions here. These days, not so much. But I still tend to read others' stuff on here, and respond some of the time.

[LAS14]

100. You're one of the ones that I noticed was absent. nt

[shanti]

104. You're still a respected contributor, H20 Man

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that thinks this. Please keep posting!

[PufPuf23]

111. Please continue to be thoughtful H2O Man.

Thank you. Always been a pleasure to read.

Disappointed in what I see and have experienced in World and nation.

Don't have a huge amount of time to live and dealing with what to do in meantime.

[MMBeilis]

101. I don't think it's your imagination. I would guess that things "Trump" and things "Middle East" have got......

.......folks a little depressed, me included. I generally post positive comments about stuff and have recently found even those being nit-picked and contested. But it seems that you've hit the mother load by asking this question today. Over 100 responses!
MineralMan posted a while back that he was going to back off and he really has. I miss him.
To the nitpickers: Yeah, Yeah, I know, it's mother "lode', not "load". Sheesh.

[maxsolomon]

102. Yes and no. I don't really have much original to say nowadays.

I mostly ask clarifying questions to posters who are posting conspiracies, allegations of widespread corruption, broad brushing or knee jerking.

The Gaza War has made for a lot of black or white reasoning and I don't like it.

[dwayneb]

105. Nope - more active

Before I retired I did not have the time or energy to follow or participate in Internet forums. So a lot more active than I used to be. But then I have never been a prolific poster.