We all come to Daily Kos for our fix of political news. However, many diarists who contribute to the site bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and analysis that enriches the community beyond any single news cycle.
And just because a blog post was written months (or years) ago does not mean it is irrelevant, untimely or not worth sharing. In fact, in many cases we have learned just the opposite.
Every once in a while, an oldie-but-goodie pops up on Chartbeat (a website Daily Kos staff use to measure site traffic)—totally organically. One blog post published in 2011 wakes up so frequently that we have dubbed it the Brigadoon of Daily Kos diaries. It has now been viewed by more than 6,000,000 people—just since the start of 2014!
When we include one of these “classics” in the Daily Kos Recommended e-mail (or post it on Facebook), sometimes it gets read and shared with as much intensity as any breaking news—proving that one of our site’s most valuable resources is the reservoir of over 1.3 million community diaries that have accumulated over the last 12 years.
This is why we started Daily Kos Classics, to curate and reintroduce these quality diaries to our readers. Sharing good writing is what draws new people to the site, and we are committed to growing this community for America’s progressive movement.
Recently, we have collected over 100 diaries that have been organically shared long after they were first published—and will be rolling them out here on a regular basis. What's more, while normally you cannot comment on a Daily Kos diary after it has been published over nine days ago, re-publishing it in Daily Kos Classics re-opens that window and lets a new generation of readers comment and exchange ideas.
Now we want to hear from you! What are your favorite diaries that are just as readable and shareable today—months, even years, after publication—that new visitors at Daily Kos should read? What do you think should be included in the Daily Kos Classics group?
We are eager to find even more gems from our past. Please tell us your favorites in the comments, and join us at Daily Kos Classics to be part of the discussion.