It doesn't happen as much as it used to, but occasionally someone new to Daily Kos and unfamiliar with the concept will come along and post the following comment in Cheers & Jeers:
"What is this crap doing on the front page?
And those of us of a certain Kos-age will remember when the question was,
"What is this crap doing on the Recommended List?
(You see, people have been bitching about the Rec List for quite some time, but I digress.)
Actually, it's a good question -- what IS this crap doing on the front page?
Follow me below the fold...
Daily Kos has evolved over the years -- shhhh, don't tell the Religious Reich about the evolution! From its humble beginnings as a site for political information, it has grown -- we organize conventions, we raise money for candidates, we raise hell about issues. But most important, what sets us apart from other political sites out there, some that are far more flashy and corporate-funded, is that we are a community. And Cheers & Jeers was one of the early forerunners of that community that Daily Kos has become.
To get down to basics, I see Cheers & Jeers as a living embodiment of the Law of Conservation of Pain and Joy.
Those of you with passing knowledge of science-fiction fandom (perhaps some of you were pissed off when the SciFi Channel switched its name to Syfy, whatever that is) are probably aware of the Callahan series of novels by Spider Robinson. Set in a nondescript bar located somewhere on Long Island, a mysterious barkeep named Mike Callahan hosts a group of regulars and the occasional strange visitor or passing alien. At the bar, every shot is a buck (well, it was written in 1977, after all!). You can buy a shot, drink it, and take off…or you can take the shot glass, toss it in the fireplace, and share your story. Most visitors share their stories (wouldn't have much of a book without them). The regulars listen to the story, share in the sorrows, and come up with solutions to the person's problem…from breaking a teen's heroin addiction by relying on an alcoholic vampire to preventing an alien from destroying the Earth.
A central feature of many of the stories is the Law of Conservation of Pain and Joy, put forward in two ways:
"Shared pain is lessened, shared joy, increased -- thus do we refute entropy"
or
"Just as there are Laws of Conservation of Matter and Energy, so there are in fact Laws of Conservation of Pain and Joy. Neither can ever be created or destroyed. But one can be converted into the other."
The same thing takes place in Cheers & Jeers. The JEERS are the shared pain: lost jobs, lost loves, lost pets…the list goes on. The person has a chance to share what's bugging them, and receive commiseration (even if it's just mojo) and sometimes assistance. The CHEERS, on the other hand, are shared joys: new jobs, new loves, new pets, etc. We rejoice with the Cheerer and take heart that what can happen for them can happen for us.
To a certain extent, Cheers & Jeers opened the path for many of the other communities that have formed here: The KINship Project, Chronic Tonic, the recent GUS and WHEE (one devoted to giving up cigarettes, the other to exercise and nutrition) and many others. Would those other communities have had a chance to form and grow otherwise, if the example hadn't been set by Cheers & Jeers? Possibly -- but I think the presence of Cheers & Jeers helped to change Daily Kos from an information source to an action source, which we're all better for unless you're a member of the GOP.
Now for the part where eyes glaze over (if they haven't already):
It costs money to support this work. For years, Bill in Portland Maine did this as a labor of love, but when he became part of the unemployment statistics, we chose to let him make a living out of this stuff rather than losing it (and him) forever to corporate drudgery. According to Bill, we need to raise $25,000 in additional funds to keep him employed (this doesn't count those who are already recurring contributors; see note). If you've enjoyed, or even merely tolerated Bill's writings over the months/years, won't you consider chipping in?
NOTE: If you are already a recurring contributing boss via paypal and you want to continue your current level of commitment, DO NOTHING other than rec this diary! Your paypal payments will continue as always.
NOTE 2: The 25 K figure is what we need to raise in addition to the recurring donations that are already in place.
One time contribution: click here.
$5 monthly contribution: click here
$10 monthly contribution: click here
$20 monthly contribution: click here
Or you can mail him a check or money order via snail mail to:Bill Harnsberger, 16 Pitt Street, Portland, ME, 04103.
Thank you, Bill, for creating a place that attracts some of the best people on Daily Kos -- and the rest of the degenerates there aren't so bad either. ;)