Hi y’all. Long-time contributor but recently barely more than a lurker. I’m writing as one who has participated in altogether too much discussion here — an unhealthy level, marked by nearly 30,000 comments. I did have to go through a forced time-out during the middle of 2016 (without rehashing, it was based misunderstanding — a false charge of trying to dox a very new member). That time-out moved my compulsive internet activity from DailyKos to other places. But, it also offered me some real perspective on how the politics and vibe of this site has changed.
It’s true that during my entire time here — 11 years, 1 month and 1 day — members have been complaining that the level of discourse just ain’t what it used to be. That’s probably been true all along. The site just keeps getting, for want of a better word, dumber. There used to be brilliant series by really thoughtful contributors on an incredible range of matters. I feel the closest we have to that now is a nice well-meaning guy who highlights articles that he thinks do a good job of covering ground that’s been covered endlessly by much more engaged reporters. But, it’s also true that in 2017, I find myself going days or even weeks without checking the site, so I might be missing some good stuff.
Ironically, this month I went to my first Netroots Nation — I purchased the ticket last Fall. I was disappointed to see how mainstreamed it is, how much it’s designed for the professional non-profit left and especially how they can be better at all the tools they need to fundraise...for what end, I don’t know. To help with their mortgages? I hope we are seeing a grassroots left forming that will take back liberalism/progressivism from the professional class, but it ain’t gonna be easy.
All of which brings me to the content here. It seems it’s become almost wholesale “resistance,” with barely more depth than you get on Twitter. More characters, but the same level of immature, snarky, lowest-denominator stuff. The subject of the latest outrages are labeled as racist twits, dickheads, etc. Apparently, it‘s great for landing on the Rec List, but I’m at a loss to imagine what good it’s doing. This site may be growing in numbers, but it’s marginalizing its relevance. The mission of electing “better” Democrats — real progressives -- is gone. The edification of members by other members able to share some expertise — that seems gone, too. If it’s just Facebook for centrist Democrats who don’t even know each other offline, is there really much point in it?
Maybe it’s a function of how irrelevant Democrats have become in our nation’s politics that we’re not discussing left-wing politics and policy. But, if we don’t, how are we ever going to change anything?
Asking for a friend.