I just realized that, among other things, DU is a soap opera...

[DeepModem Mom]

which is one reason it's so addictive. We have a lot of drama, cliffhangers, major characters (one villain in particular) and other characters who come and go (right now Cindy Sheehan is the heroine), and rise and fall. And we all get to give our opinions, guess what will happen, and hiss and boo, and laugh and cry, together. True, it's a soap opera with very high stakes for all of us, but it helps to view it with all of you.

Thanks, Skinner and the gang!!!

[Walt Starr]

1. Ya even get a few curmudgeony old bastards telling people

"HEY, get off the grass!"

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Indeed! nt

[JitterbugPerfume]

6. As The World Turns

WaHoooo

[peace frog]

3. ... but not brought to you by Proctor and Gamble...

;)

[babylonsister]

4. Ah, a bit of honest levity-you're so

right! :toast:

[Bluebear]

5. DU: "The ULTIMATE Reality Show!"

:)

[lildreamer316]

7. But one thing is different:

we acutally get some things done that matter!! :patriot:

[DeepModem Mom]

8. That's why I said, "among other things" -- important things, IMO. nt

[hexola]

9. After the election - I tuned out of DU...and lost 30 pounds!!!

Addictive is right - I love it - but it can sap your time...and like all addictions...not healthy...

[DeepModem Mom]

11. LOL -- you are so right! (I tuned out after the election, too....

I admit, I gave up for a while.)

[longship]

10. Agreed. We have many of the same characteristics.

And the same characters.

The only thing we're missing is the scandal of unwanted pregnancies, and people coming out of six month long comas.

I like your analogy, though. It made my day.

[omega minimo]

30. Wrong-o

We're waiting for Patient America to come out of a 25 year coma.

:boring:

[leftchick]

12. the Young/Semi-Old and the Restless/Tireless

:)

[DeepModem Mom]

14. A good title! nt

[Burried News]

13. It is addictive -why?

I hate soaps. And never go to chat rooms. The honesty is a factor - of course that may only be illusory since we only have people's word and the consistency of their posts.

And people take their screen names and screen reputations very seriously. What is that all about? It is almost like we are sending signals into the universe - prayers to the unknown? The ultimate projection? I wonder what Sigmund Freud would have made of it and how he would have used it.

At the core of addiction is need? What do we need? To be understood? Does it mean we realy don't need the physical touch of another human being? Is this post a prayer? A type of meditation?

[DeepModem Mom]

16. I only watched one soap for a while when one of my babies...

had a feeding time at the same time it aired. That's how I know what they're like. I was surprised that I, a pretty intelligent person, did begin to wonder what was going to happen next. I have the same feeling here -- if it's happening, it's probably going to be posted at DU.

I like your mystical interpretation, though. I hope/think we ARE sending signals, and prayers. God knows, they're needed.

[Burried News]

18. And maybe ultimately only we can answer them.

Soaps have a very large influence on viewers. My daughters, as teenagers, watched them with my wife. It took me years to realize they were being badly influenced. Manipulative, cunning, ruthless, provocative, narcissistic, nasty, shouting, excessively competitive. They were in their mid 20's before they outgrew these behaviors.

Lord knows what else TV can do. My daughters are now into all the CSI, Forensic, gruesome etc. morbid facination with death, dying, killing yuck. Video games -we won't go there. Controlling some of this is an area where I actually am in agreement with the right.

[BeFree]

15. Read on!

DU is like the morning newspaper I used to get. And this is one I can talk back to, interact with.

DU Rocks, and Rules!

[babylonsister]

17. And this is one I can talk back to, interact with.

I think you've got it, BeFree!

[Fleshdancer]

19. So when do the men start taking their shirts off?

And does this mean I have to start sleeping with make-up on? I'll do it if it means I get to start slapping a freeper. :evilgrin:

[walldude]

21. Uh... you really don't want me taking my shirt off...

20 years ago maybe.... :D

[Just Me]

20. To me, DU is the family, the community,...I want and need.

We are human beings participating in an environment where healthy rules are, at least, somewhat enforced. Yes, we all have our personal "dramas",...isn't that part and parcel of living?

I wouldn't demean DU as merely a "soap opera". It's much, much more than that.

[I Have A Dream]

24. I really don't think that the OP meant it as an insult. I think that...

it was just an observation. Personally, I think that it's pretty true, but it's a good soap opera. Seeing aspects of soap operas doesn't mean that it doesn't have immense value also. It's just a novel way of thinking about the experience.

Two weeks ago, it was all about Paul Hackett. Last week, it was all about getting things set up for Cindy Sheehan, this week it was about the vigils, and next week it will be something else equally important. There's also all of these other small stories floating around at the same time. This is amazing stuff, and the energy is wonderful. However, I can see the soap opera aspects of it if I step back and look at it objectively or if one is just a lurker. It's great to be part of this particular soap opera.

[DeepModem Mom]

25. What IHaveaDream said -- I would never demean DU --

that's why I said, "among other things," among other very valuable and important things, DU is very compelling. I, at least, keep tuning in, not only because I want to be a part of this community, but because I don't want to miss anything!

[bpilgrim]

22. Politics has always been the BEST Reality 'Show', ever

and so it goes...

more images...
http://media.GLobalFreePress.com

but it has never been better with the DU :bounce:

Thank GORE he 'INVENTED' the INTERNETs ;->

psst... pass the word :hi:

peace

[blondeatlast]

23. Funny you should mention it: DUer's son is off to Iraq, and I'm

plugging the thread every chance I get:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4401092

Yep, I love it here, even when it hurts.

I SURVIVED THE PRIMARIES!

[DeepModem Mom]

26. Oh, that thread tears the heart. Thank you...

and may that young man return home safely, soon, to that beautiful family.

[OneBlueSky]

27. DU is really on the cutting edge of what's happening . . .

virtually any event, news item, article, statement, or policy of any interest generally hits DU almost immediately . . . that's why I use DU (and the links posted here) as my primary news source these days . . . keeps me from having to monitor a thousand different websites or (God forbid) watching television "news" . . .

[hunter]

28. Or bleeding edge...

g'night all

[MazeRat7]

29. Yep... and often overly dramatic. (n/t)

[AntiCoup2K4]

31. Like sands through the motherfucking hourglass.....

Hi! we're the DiMera family. You can think of us as the Bush Criminal Empire of TV land, except we're just a little less evil. Don't even try to fuck with us, 'cause we can come back from the dead and shit like that...