Do we as DUer's take ourselves too seriously?

[Danger Mouse]

Poll question: Do we as DUer's take ourselves too seriously?

I sometimes think that maybe we could lighten up a bit?
What do you think?
:hi:

[Deja Q]

1. Depends on the issue.

:popcorn:

:D

[SoxFan]

2. Hey! He's from The Lounge! LET'S KILL HIM!!!

[Fovea]

3. More serious

Less ad hominum.
More delayed response.

More arguments, less hectoring.

More light, less heat.

[Danger Mouse]

4. Too many words. Make Hulk head hurt!

[LWolf]

5. I take issues seriously.

Most DUer's?

Not so seriously.

[Danger Mouse]

6. Good response.

I like.

[LWolf]

20. .

;)

:hi:

[Two Americas]

7. hidden agenda there

It should not about us as individuals at all.

This is politics, not religion.

Do we take the crisis seriously? Do we take the principles and ideals seriously? Do we take injustice and the suffering of the people seriously?

It is not about us as individuals. There already is one political party that represents individualism. We do not need two.

"They take themselves too seriously" is code for "they speak out strongly against individualism and call for collective action to fight back, and that makes me uncomfortable."

"They stay nice and chilled and balanced" is code for "they defend privilege and entrenched wealth and power and fight desperately against any change and against dissent."

Those doing pretty well and siding with power and privilege can promote their agenda while remaining quite calm and detached, and then mock and ridicule the most passionate and committed people among us as "taking themselves too seriously." It is a lie - a false and malicious and reactionary debate tactic.

[Danger Mouse]

13. That's not necessarily true.

:shrug:
In the end, this is an internet discussion board. I think there's a diversity of perspectives and opinions here, and to say that people who think some people need to relax a bit are concerned with 'defending the elite' is kind of unfair.

[Two Americas]

15. what is unfair

What is unfair is characterizing critics as needing to relax, as though what was important was their emotional state and not the opinion they are expressing.

Telling people to relax and not get upset is almost always a call for suppression of dissent. "Nothing to see here, move along." It also diverts people's attention away from the message and onto the messenger. "Oh they are just saying that because they love to complain (or won't relax or will never he happy or whatever) so pay no attention to them."

Sam Adams did not say -

"A true patriot would tell his fellow citizens that they need to relax and chill, and not to get so upset about things nor take things too seriously."

He did say -

"A true patriot would keep the attention of his fellow citizens awake to their grievances, and not allow them to rest 'til the causes of their just complaints are removed."

The crisis we face today is similar, yet far greater than the one to which he is referring.

[Danger Mouse]

16. When did I ever say that critics need to relax? That's just what you assumed.

[Two Americas]

18. yes

And I said it was an assumption. It is critics here who are continually called "angry" - we had a month of people complaining continually about the "angry gays" recently and telling them to relax and lighten up. I don't know that I have ever seen anyone say "lighten up" when it was nor directed at critics, and there are posts everyday aimed at critics telling them to lighten up, or relax, or don't be angry, or don't take things (or yourself) so seriously, or don't be negative and on and on and on.

So most people here know exactly who you are addressing and why, and would make the same assumption that I am making. It is hard for me to imagine that you would be unaware of that, and intended something else. If you are aware of that, you would know how people would take what you posted and if you did not intend people to get the wrong impression, you would need to clarify what you do mean.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

22. You see a hidden agenda in anything that doesn't agree with your world view.

Frankly, you epitomize the genesis of this post.

[DevonRex]

24. And you just proved why the question needed to be asked. To imply

ANYTHING negative about Danger Mouse just because he asked a question is beyond bizarre and is the most hypocritical thing I've ever seen you do. You dare talk about the need to speak up while telling people to shut up.

[azmouse]

26. Seconded.

[Two Americas]

28. "hidden agenda"

Using that phrase was probably a mistake. It sounds like an insinuation.

"Unexamined premise" would be better, maybe.

I am not telling anyone tom shut up. The OP asked a question, I posted my response. I stand by that, and I think I explained and defended my position. You are free to disagree with my opinion, of course.

I didn't say anything negative about the poster, I criticized what they posted.

[Danger Mouse]

31. People are free to ASSume whatever they like.

:hi:

[Clio the Leo]

8. This is perhaps the greatest poll ever.....

... and I know I'm prone to hyperbole but this time I MEAN it!!!

[BootinUp]

9. Can you add the answer "Does a dog bark?" nt

[Danger Mouse]

14. Does a bear live in Rome? Does the Pope shit in the woods?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

23. I love those lines.

"Does the Pope shit in the woods?" has got to be one of my favorite WTF lines. :-)

[sofa king]

10. That's right. I'm the dingbat.

If I knew what the hell was going on and how to fix it, I assure you I would have. Therefore, the best I can say is, "I don't know," but the list of things I don't know is a lot shorter than the list of things people who do think they know... don't know.

[Armstead]

11. Of course we do

But that's human nature.

[rug]

12. Let me check with my cat.

[Canuckistanian]

17. Nice post, Hitler

It's people like you what cause unrest.

[Danger Mouse]

19. Here liez a dizrupter.

He dizrupted pourly.

[tomg]

21. Only one choice missing.

"Most people are okay, but I need to take it easy."

[azmouse]

25. I like your new name! Mice are cool!

:hi:

It's so easy to get wrapped up in an argument and not want to let it go. So yeppers, I'd say we all need to lighten up and not let our tempers get out of control and I'd include myself in that.

[Douglas Carpenter]

27. speaking only for myself, I try not to take the whole thing too seriously

But I realize that if I don't post and don't respond to any and all challenges - catastrophic war will break out resulting in unprecedented carnage and destruction, driving the entire world into desperate poverty - unseen for centuries and plunging all of humanity into utter darkness and destitution - and it will be all my fault.

But perhaps, I could try to lighten up a little bit.

[Radical Activist]

29. Much

This is a way to pass time, engage in debate for the fun of it, and maybe learn something new once in a while. Posting on DU shouldn't be confused with real activism.

[slackmaster]

30. Why does Danger Mouse hate America?

:sarcasm: