Let me begin by saying that when I first joined the DKos I did not at all understand the whole cat diary thing. In fact in incensed me, enough to diary about it (if you care to go back in my diary history and check it out--I won't provide the link to it). And it still is an obsession for me of sorts, clearly, since I'm choosing to diary about it again. I won't stop to consider just why at the moment.
And yet, over my short tenure here, I've come to realize just what these pootie diaries are supposed to be about, and it makes me think about the particular culture that arises in any place, whether it's in the office break room, in a classroom, at a family gathering, or at a blog site.
There is one particular diarist here who posts her pet diaries on a regular basis. At first I didn't understand these things, since I dislike cat pictures, myself, and I felt that if this particular person could post about such things, what is to prevent an onslaught of such posts by others, instead of posts about the types of things I come here for first and foremost (politics)? You know, that whole slippery slope thing.
But the fact that this diarist (and a few others) are permitted to post such things in a way that most newbies would probably be ignored for (or worse) tells me that there is a singular culture that has grown up at the DKos, one which probably the newer persons on this site wouldn't necessarily understand. So here is where I offer my newbie perspective on the culture of DKos, and how certain things work here.
It's an issue of trust. It's getting to know people here, based on the quality of their posts, and their comments. It's understanding that a certain user, based on their history, means no harm, and is, in their own way, trying to nurture a community here of sorts, with their own special spark that they have.
Now that this site has over 200,000 members, I know it can get confusing at times as to who are the so-called "trusted ones," and who are not. UID isn't always telling; after all, Al Rodgers doesn't have a particularly high low UID (yes I looked! LOL) but his posts are generally popular, because he can be trusted to post about the state of our politics and culture in a very few well-chosen pictures and observations.
It took me a while to figure that out.
Now. In regards to the person who posts the pootie/woozle pics on a regular basis, which is the main topic of this diary.
Maybe one might think that she was some person who had all her needs taken care of and who could just post cat pictures b/c she has nothing else to worry about.
But what I found when I went back and read her older diaries (oh dear, am I a stalker yet? bleh) was that here is a person who has dealt with a tremendous amount of obstacles, and who has persevered the best she could, and still finds time to contribute to this community. This is a person who, when I wrote my anti-pootie diary, still showed me generosity and understanding: the type of response that, if you have any feeling at all, you will remember, and respect.
So yeah, I used to hate all that pootie stuff. But no more. Because for one, the person who writes most of those diaries is a giving, brave person, and two, DKos is a culture like any other place, where you get to know people, and get to trust them, and that the stark rules that some would have us all live by don't take into consideration the particular melting pot of personality and communication, mixed with a little time and reflection, that occurs when you get to know people long enough, and which in a way defies explanation.
This is probably a pointless diary, but it's what I felt like talking about now. Maybe my next diary will be about genetics and how anybody who is a Creationist can't be permitted to believe in Swine Flu vaccines, but well, I already spent about 10 hours straight studying genomes so I'm taking a break now. :)
Thanks for reading.
ETA: I don't mean this to be a call-out diary, except in the most positive of ways. Please let me know if this is inappropriate, and I will delete it.
ETA pt 2: I guess a lot of people think I'm dissing the pootie diaries, but I'm not. Quite the opposite in fact. Just so you know.
ETA pt 3: Oh wurra the irony that this got recc'd! But at the same time I'm also very humbled (even though I understand it's gauche to mention one's rec status on a diary but then again, I am gauche). I think there's some real interesting discussion going on in the comments, which I think makes it worthwhile to click on this link. This place is teh awesome. :)