How far does your voice carry? Estimating DU's influence [View All]

[BelgianMadCow]

I wonder to what degree DU has influence on the outside world. DU is at times an echo chamber (and often a comforting one at that). I wonder how far does the echo carry? Because as much as DU has merits of its own, if we do not reach outside of DU we miss a big opportunity.

All the passion displayed on DU has got to MEAN something, more than just posts on a forum.
Obviously, there have been plenty examples of DU influence. Talk show hosts such as Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy reference the DU. We participate in polls. We write LTTEs and emails to the media and congress. We send flowers to Helen Thomas. Some Duers write books, others do in-depth research or create graphics and so on.

I have voted first, in category 1, I must confess. I know the categories are not mutually exclusive but they are supposed to range from personal online activism to a lifestyle commitment.

I often wonder if I'm doing enough. Are you?