I opened an interesting 'candidate' diary. As read the responses, I thought, 'oh good', (like I've thought so many times) 'some facts! I am going to learn something'! I am thirsty to learn.
But before 2 sentences are read, I am greeted with the subjective, useless 'fuck you asshole!'.And my mind moves swiftly to the tired place. I am yet again, assaulted by the dreaded D.U.D. (Democrats Unglued Disorder).
The media in all it's forms is harrrrd to wade through. So I come here to read and to learn. Day after day, I start down the path of this or that diary. I have learned to pick my way among the hysteria, from the titles and posters. But that cannot save me from the comments. It is a contest to see how far I can get, before I am accosted by a poster exhibiting the dreaded D.U.D.! For me it is not a drinking game or I would surely not be able to pick my head, from off the desk. Nevertheless my brain does feel glued to my eyeballs.
I wonder what is the purpose? What are they trying to accomplish? Do they want to inform people? Because no way is that happening, unless said person is studying D.U.D.ness. In which case, needless to say, they have hit a goldmine! What is the poster's purpose, when they write about or reply to someone, about their candidate? Do they want to inform? Do they want to persuade? Do they want me to vote for their candidate? Because I haven't picked a candidate. Well I have one in mind, but I can be swayed. That is why I (and the only reason I would ) keep reading these diaries. But they so soon deteriorate into emotional diatribes or sarcastic cold put downs. Why would I read further? Why would I care what the commenter is saying? It gets lost and clouded over, invisible to the mind, by the blanket of vitriol, in which it is bathed.
I want to be informed. I want you to tell me why your candidate is the best. I want to read facts in an intelligent, well thought out manner. I want information. I am sponge. Ready to soak up some non-tacky, non-hostile, enlightening information. Shine a light on your candidate for me. I want to know the answers. Did someone say something about your candidate? Tell me why it is or is not true. Give me facts. Illuminate your candidate. Give me the antidote to 'Democrats Unglued Disorder', to the unending D.U.D.ness of it all. I need me some light therapy!
Perhaps my brain is weak and my heart is faint Perhaps you find these words just as useless, as I find the constant one-up-man-ship. Perhaps the D.U.D.ness will go on and on, unabated. But maybe some will see there are many like me, who think Daily Kos is a good place to read and learn about the candidates. And that when you respond to a diary or a comment, you have a chance to teach me about your candidate. You have a chance to garner a vote for your candidate. Hundreds of thousands of people could be reading your comment. Do you really want to waste that chance?
If you must vent your hostility, go roar around your house; scream into a pillow; pound the couch; curse to your friends; write down your hostility and then erase it and begin a thoughtful, informative comment about your candidate. These are simple tools to heal D.U.D.ness, to sway large numbers of people to your candidate and...to save my poor bleeding eyes!