I've spent the last few days doing two things.
One's been driving around doing location scouting, which has given me plenty of time to think but not much time to write.
The other's been reading this website (and others) late at night somewhat aghast at the turn the meta has taken here on dkos of late.
I'm not going to pretend this is a polished piece, or is the "answer" to anything, but I do think it's maybe time to offer my late night two cents because that two cents just might be useful and, uh, needed...
I'm going to keep this direct and to the point. I'm going to offer my direct advice all around. Yeah, that's egotistical, but, that's what advice is.
My advice in no particular order.
To Maryscott: Maryscott, you need to NOT post on dailykos for three months. Take a leave. Not permanent, just a hiatus. Further, the front page of your excellent blog needs to leave off making any commentary regarding dailykos. Enough is enough in this blog battle. When you do come back, it will be on new terms. It's time to leave this behind.
What you DO need to do, MSOC, imho, is to focus on what you excel at:
- Cultivating and nurturing fresh progressive voices online. My Left Wing is an excellent incubator for blog talent. Maryscott, you are at your "blog best" when you play that role. Your strength is writing about politics from a personal point of view. You recognize and support other writers who can do the same even when they don't have your exact same style. That is an exceptional talent. USE THAT Talent. KEEP DOING THAT. You are a great "blog den mother." Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It will make MLW stronger.
- Maryscott, you need to rededicate yourself to those pieces that made your name. Honest, forthright, gutcheck pieces about what you think about politics and life. Personally, I think your site could use a graphical update of how you present those pieces. (It's time to retire Ms. Jolie imo.) Readers should know that when something is in the news that makes them angry, or moves them, that they can come to MLW for your take on it. That is always what you've done best. Do that!
On a personal note I want to acknowledge that I enjoyed meeting you at Yearlykos and that, imo, you threw one hell of a party that showed just how many cool, creative, and diverse people are drawn into your orbit. Maryscott, I don't think you will ever quite get the recognition you deserve from some quarters for the many things you bring to the table. In that context, the presence of those people at your party said a great deal about who you are. Savor that. Money or traffic can't buy that level of respect, imo.
To BTD:
I think it's time to lay off the tirades. The ones where you post twenty comments in a thread. The ones where you start to mispell words and use insulting and hyperbolic language.
Those tirades aren't good for anyone, least of all, it would seem, yourself.
I'd like to make a point in that regard, as well. BTD, have you so little trust for the other readers/users of this site? There are smart people here. We know BS when we see it. We can, and should, make up our own minds. That's our right and our responsibility.
You write your tirades as if you are the only person who can see/state the truth. That's just not the case. And when you overreact, you create a disincentive for any of us with more level heads to join the discussion. So we don't.
Big Tent, stick to diaries, stick to ideas, not personal battles. The tirades need to go. They aren't worth the cost.
I've enjoyed your comeback here BTD, and I have truly enjoyed reading your considered thoughts and pieces. They are edifying and always have a kernal of relevance that reflects the "pulse of the political moment." That's your strength. Why drown all that in anger? It's such a total waste. Figure out why you do these tirades, and then stop. It's that simple. And that's my advice to you.
To Hunter
That horse piece was beneath you. Worst thing I've ever read from you if I understood it right...ie. the vituperation you've turned so often on the right-wing came through almost stronger against folks who, essentially, agree with you. I have to ask...why?
I don't know. I don't profess to know the whole story.
I left Yearlykos entirely impressed with your public speaking and thoughtful manner of approaching almost any topic that came up. You were one, among many kossacks, who REALLY impressed me. I look forward to reading and hearing much, much more from you.
My advice? Leave the horsef***r stuff already. It leaves a bad taste from a voice of universal respect here. Worse, it just makes one ask...if Hunter is stooping to this...where does this lead?
To kos:
I thought your meta piece was strong. It showed leadership.
Whatever the bygones on this topic we may have had in the past, it is very clear that dailykos.com is YOUR website, you lead it, you set the tone, and that has been your choice. You chose that path over what might have been other alternatives, but, in doing so, you have also delivered the goods for your readers and advertisers. That means something both in terms of hard work and in terms of executing your vision for this venture.
I think what you've done with dailykos since CTG, especially since Yearlykos, has been nothing short of remarkable. The improved functionality here including the personal blogrolls...and the plans for improvements in the works...impress. Diary rescue has upped the quality of diaries. Ajax comments are simply stellar. Yearlykos was a smash. Politicians visit here without a hitch. The State of the FP is strong. All of that is incredible given where things were three years ago and what the alternatives easily could have been. Once again, kudos.
I may not agree with you on every point, kos, or on every change you've made, but I respect that you are executing your vision for this site in a thoughtful manner and are open to criticism. That's important, and shows leadership. That being said, I have two pieces of feedback tonight.
- Dailykos has a real problem in the fact that, more than not making friends with sibling community blogs like Liberal Street Fighter, My Left Wing, and Booman Tribune, it seems that a clear pattern has been established wherein Dailykos seems to make enemies...and eventually ban folks who helped make this place what it is.
Now, it takes two to tango. I am aware of that. But, kos, you are the 1000 lb. blog gorilla. The first mover. The one with the traffic and the advertising revenue. And, to be frank, at this point, there's a pattern here.
I have no clue why you would choose to delink My Left Wing and Booman Tribune. As a blogger, I respect your right to do so and have said so on my blog. But, in retrospect, despite being in your rights, I think it was a bad choice. My first piece of advice to you would be to relink those two blogs.
It costs you nothing. A little pride maybe. But it would help two of the hardest working bloggers out there who have actually gone out and built something new after leaving dailykos. (They did what you tell people to do...!!) It would also send a message that you are above being petty and grudgeful despite it all...that there are other communities out there and that more than just being tolerated, those communities are embraced.
For myself, I think of BMT and MLW and the really great writers that they've encouraged...writers who've contributed immensely here at dailykos..and, upon reflection, I have to scratch my head at your delinking those two sites. Relinking them would send a really clear message and help put an end to this sorry episode, that, however unintentionally, in part, you started.
- Kos, this is, yes, your website. Your venture. Your baby. I respect that.
But it's also someplace where, just to speak personally, I've logged thousands of hours, written countless essays and comments, and where I have made so many friends. I am not alone. It's a privelege to be able to write for this audience. This community gives so much. That's why we're here.
In turn, the dollars we give, the community we build, the words we write here are something special, something substantive and significantly bigger than what any one person, whoever they might be and whatever their talent, can "own" or "give away" or "represent" in that broader and more symbolic sense.
That's why bannings of long-time kossacks seem so off.
Kos, there's not a limitless supply of "us." Bannings and blog wars affect many more people than those banned or battled. Frankly, they affect all of us. How many people have given of themselves, in whatever capacity they can, to the success of this site, this community and our common cause? Too many to count. Imo, that's why people can act crazy at times. We care, alot. Even folks who resolutely disagree. Even folks who are wrong-headed at times. I include myself in this.
And in that sense, kos, your strategic reshuffling of the blogroll and opaque banning policy does play into this pattern. Much of this comes down to a matter of tone, yes. But tone is a big part of leadership. Yes, dailykos is about pragmatic people-powered politics and winning elections, but we all know that people come back here for of the heart and soul of dailykos...the community. Booman and Maryscott are certainly a part of that. So is pyrrho. Let's be real. Community is important.
So my final piece of advice for you, kos, would be to think about how bannings have gone down and how dkos has dealt with its sister and brother blogs, especially where there's been disagreement.
Let me put it this way. It seems at times that you are stuck in an "us/them" mindset about the blogworld when it's clear as day to the rest of us that you've already won many times over and have no need for this world view. Imo, you can't play a much-needed role in leading us out of these blog wars if you see the blogs that way.
How about finding your own way, in your own voice, to change the tone? To reflect that reality? To give props and links, as you have from time to time, to folks who aren't your style or don't totally agree with you but who have done so much to build up the dailykos community and the blogosphere at large?
I think a new spirit of magnanimity would go a long way to get over this blog factionalism and help defeat this cycle of battles and bannings that has really gotten tired and old and wears on exactly the folks we need the most: the hard core blog readers and users. Blogs wars and bannings and meta cycles affect all of us. It's just true. That, plus a healthy dose of seasonal affective disorder, makes for some messy Februarys.
::
So, there it is, those are my thoughts. Forgive my meta, please. Feel free to make fun of me ruthlessly below.
And for the love of dkos, let's all move on, appreciate each other's strengths and weaknesses and each do what we do best...keep our eyes on the prize.
Happy Valentine's Day. That's all folks!!