Part of it is clearly Jeff himself, as illustrated by his thoughtful post here.

I like it. If you need help or info, it is there. If you need to vent, that is fine also. Just don't take it too personally. Really helpful when you need a local service.

Anonymous wrote:Bunch of over achieving bat shit crazy bitches battling it out for anonymous supremacy because they can't stand that they can't convince their real life acquaintances, friends, and family of their domineering awesomeness.

Bam. There it is. Boo yah!

Are you describing yourself? This is a popular thing to say about our users, but it doesn't really ring true. If this were the case, it wouldn't really be the "special sauce", would it? What would be popular about such a site? Even if it had a certain "train wreck" fascination, that would wear off pretty quickly.

Obviously, DCUM has both positive and negative aspects. While the negative factors can create short term attraction, I don't think they lead to longterm attachment. To return to the train wreck analogy, it might be interesting (in a morbid sort of way) to see one train wreck in your lifetime, but you wouldn't want to have to deal with one every single day. People won't willingly return day after day to something that has a negative impact on them. They will do that for something that has a positive impact. Because DCUM has a large number of long-term and frequent users, I think we have to assume that is due to positive aspects of the site. The question then becomes, what are those positive aspects?

The obvious factor is a large number of very articulate, intelligent users. Not only does the DC area have a large number of such people, but DCUM -- as a medium that involves writing -- appeals to what is often a strength of such individuals. If you are not able to express yourself well in writing, you are unlikely to find DCUM to be a rewarding environment. The opposite is true for those with strong writing skills.

Moreover, the anonymity of DCUM removes a ton of factors that are often used to prejudge individuals, particularly women. Your posts will be judged by their content, not by the clothes you are wearing, how you wear your hair, or whether you are a few pounds (or even a lot of pounds) overweight. It doesn't matter if you are a partner in big law or a stay at home mom, if you can compose an interesting post, others will appreciate it. If you can include a bit of humor, even better. While the freedom of anonymity may lead to a lot of arguing and a certain number of insults, it also allows many users to express themselves when they otherwise might not. In that respect, it is a very positive outlet.

Anonymous wrote:Bunch of over achieving bat shit crazy bitches battling it out for anonymous supremacy because they can't stand that they can't convince their real life acquaintances, friends, and family of their domineering awesomeness.

Bam. There it is. Boo yah!

Do you count yourself among them?

Anonymous wrote:Bunch of over achieving bat shit crazy bitches battling it out for anonymous supremacy because they can't stand that they can't convince their real life acquaintances, friends, and family of their domineering awesomeness.

Bam. There it is. Boo yah!

Damn! Boo yah, baby. Love it!

Bunch of over achieving bat shit crazy bitches battling it out for anonymous supremacy because they can't stand that they can't convince their real life acquaintances, friends, and family of their domineering awesomeness.

Bam. There it is. Boo yah!

It my mind DCUM a "local" site even though I know anybody from anywhere can add their 2 cents. So, yes, strangers are posting, I have no idea if it's the mom down the street or some teenager posting in Alaska, but feeling like this is local it's not so daunting as more "nation-wide" parenting forums like thebump, babycenter, kellymom, etc.

Just like PP said, there is that baseline there too.

This is a great question.

I'm OP of a thread in the Real Estate forum about relocating and, as crazy as it seems, not having a DCUM-like resource is a con for me if we moved to a new city.

I don't know when DCUM got its critical mass of users, but I do think the fact that it draws from a large pool seems to help. The anonymity is a blessing and a curse. It allows people to be absolutely horrible, but it also allows for more honesty without fear of identification or of being pigeonholed based on your user id. This site definitely skews upper-middle class and well-educated, so I think you do have a large group of people with a common baseline for discussion on a number of issues. And, I suppose many users do come for the entertainment of the cat fights but occasionally contribute some value, too.

Anonymous wrote:Its the Jerk Seasoning.

Love!

Anonymous wrote:Mambo Sauce, Baby!

That's mumbo sauce!

Anonymous wrote:Its the Jerk Seasoning.

LOL-- my favorite post of the day.

Its the Jerk Seasoning.

That people around here love to talk about themselves!

Mambo Sauce, Baby!

Not just to Jeff, though he might know better than anyone else, but why do you think DCUM "works" as well as it does? Why do other cities not have something similar? What makes DCUM and/or DMV area unique?

I have my theory - lots of very articulate, engaged parents who like to write. What is yours?