Over the last two months there have obviously been a number of things I have found distressing with our country.
But there have also been some significant items that I have found distressing within the community here...and given the recent Kos vs. Exley tete-a-tete, I'm at the end of my proverbial rope. Hence this diary...but in short, I can't help feeling like a large portion of Daily Kos is going to complete and utter shit. More below.
I will start this by encouraging you to click on my User ID and note the number...but I'm sure many of you have already done that, and as a result, may not even be reading this (more on this below). For those that are, my first visit to the Kos came this year, in February. After months and months of lurking, I finally registered in August (I believe)...I'll spare you the reasons for the action, primarily because they are of no consequence within the framework of this diary.
So, I am not a grizzled veteran. I have no reference point on previous builds of the site, former iterations of technology, or the veritable "good old days." I am what some of you might claim to be the downfall of this site, if you do feel it has slipped as it has grown. I respect your thoughts here...but since the election, the vitriol I have come across here has been shocking. I clearly won't attempt to play psychologist, but it has seemed to be a systemic devolution in the level and quality of discourse...with a (anecdotal) premium paid towards ridiculous posturing and in some cases, a sheer inability to engage in constrictive dialogue.
A few sources of this devolution, in my mind, at least:
1) General Respect for Human Beings
For god's sake, the site's creator (and as an extension, purportedly one of its thought leaders) is in a pissing match with someone that bleeds more blue than the vast majority of people on this board (Exley). And over what? Philosophical differences.
That is great, bring on the discussion. But the very means of engagement ("Zach Exley is an idiot"), the condescending, accusatory tone of the posts, and the way in which Kos makes the same mistakes/employs the same kinds of tactics (depending on how you want to view it) that we all decry as belonging to the MSM are so out of line they are startling. This is supposed to be a community, people.
Hopefully we can see some positive, level-headed debate with respect to this particular example...but by no means does this stand alone. It was simply the most visible, and therefore the most likely to resonate.
2) "Blog Tenure"
I find it absurd that the thoughts, views, and opinions of someone can be validated or are more valuable as a result of time served.
"I'm sorry Barack Obama, your vision pales in comparison to that of Joe Lieberman."
And we wonder why a plurality of this country just doesn't like us? We freaking eat our young, figuratively, but almost literally, in this case. What happened to fresh perspective, shedding a different light, or even (gasp) educating in lieu of put downs? If a post is shit, call it shit...but do so by attacking the post itself, not the poster. Maybe educate this new poster in the ways of all that is (or should be) Kos. But certainly don't ground those attacks in something as asinine as the concept of "blog tenure."
3) Credibility
I can already hear you sending me back to my own #1 above...without a doubt, it is logical to assume that among posters with "credibility issues" (i.e. fraudulent or misleading posts, etc.), these posters tend to be new to the community. Granted. I would, however, ask (as others have in comments) for you to holster that extremely broad brush...
My bigger point here is, regardless of who you are...verify/source everything. There have been far too many unsubstantiated items flying around here (particularly on the recount topic), obscuring those that are real and possess importance. The "Graham letter" was hilarious, and I cannot applaud Kos enough for his response.
Additionally, a large part of garnering credibility is the ability to admit when you are in error...this is a quality that has been severely lacking over the course of most of my time visiting the site.
Abrupt segue (or lack thereof). It's late, and I'm tired...there is probably little point in continuing on at this point anyway, since this will simply slide off of the recent diaries list into the web ether. BUT...
This is important to me, and I would very much value any/all responses...I would think that any other visitor to this site would feel the same. If you have been feeling the same way, make your additions. If you think I'm a pile of garbage, then constructively criticize my points and show me to the figurative dumpster. If you simply think this is a conversation worth having for the site, then recommend.
Regardless of what you do, Happy Holidays. And thanks. Just a general thanks.
[editor's note, by rygriffin333]: Updated with link for said "pissing match." Link for actual "R.G. Letter Diary" could not be located, perhaps it was removed?