Can political conversations ever be productive?

[Jayburner]

I don't know if its possible. Seems like every conversation ends up with one side calling the other side 'stupid' or some other name.

[LMuhlen]

Of course it can!! Are you stupid???

[satimy]

Yea just not with close minded people

[Flextt]

Not on mmo-champion.

[Symphonic]

In this day and age, it's "My way or the highway". Not being able to compromise, even if you fundamentally disagree about certain topics, will lead to downfall.

[Dsonsion]

I've changed my stance on many topics by discussing them with other people, particularly politics. So yes, I'd say they are.

[Jayburner]

I've changed my stance on many topics by discussing them with other people, particularly politics. So yes, I'd say they are.

can you quote any of them? I'm really curious.

[Celista]

Yes they can and I have seen *some* posters' views change somewhat over time.

-Be respectful
-Try to understand the other person's POV
-Know when a conversation is no longer productive, and agree to disagree.

I'm not saying I adhere to the above three all the time, but I try to (most of the time).

[draynay]

I don't know if its possible. Seems like every conversation ends up with one side calling the other side 'stupid' or some other name.

Thats because there are always stupid people involved.

[Manabomb]

Like any conversation it depends on context, intent and status.

Fundamentally a lot of power within the public sector is shifted through political conversation. And many corporations are at the sway of political conversations, as to which to why they employ so much of their money/image/currency into maintaining a healthy relationship between them and their representatives.

Then you have the judiciary branch.

Food for thought.

[Independent voter]

Well they're fun and not everything that's fun is productive.

[sheggaro]

Not really, just vote and shut up about it.

[Deleted]

There's probably some energy to be extracted from them.

[Rhaide]

I don't know if its possible. Seems like every conversation ends up with one side calling the other side 'stupid' or some other name.

Not on this website. Part of debate is realizing that you're debating other human beings and they (usually) believe what they are saying. The internet (especially this website) fosters both trolling behavior which is counterproductive, and a lack of empathy with your opponent which offends them and results in mutual dislike. Additionally, immature and socially unbalanced people aren't as easily spotted so you have radicals posing as moderate leftists/rightists and being treated as such instead of being laughed out of any intelligent discussion.

[Alydael]

I don't know if its possible. Seems like every conversation ends up with one side calling the other side 'stupid' or some other name.

It's because the dems and repubs want it that way. As long as we are fighting amongst ourselves, we aren't pointing figures at them and asking questions like:

1) You collect record taxes every year, why are our schools and infrastructure so bad.

or even:

2) You didn't even have a million dollars when you were elected, now you are worth 10 million after 1 term as a senator on a salary in the low 200k. How exactly did that happen?

or:

3) You claim Russia "hacked" the election. How was that even possible? Did you not adequately protect the election?

or:

4) Hey, how come your brother's wife got that no bid contract even though she has never run a government job or even bid for a government contract before you were elected?

So, we fight amongst ourselves- they collect record taxes without solving a single problem they were tasked to solve (war on poverty anyone?) laugh at us all the way to the bank; see everyone is happy now!

But hey don't worry! After there term is over they will be sure to fly around the world on billionaire's yatchs, collecting multi million dollar bookdeals while lecturing us on "inequality" and how the "1%" keep getting richer (funny how no matter if it is a Dem or Pub in office- the 1% always seem to get richer- funny thing there) while pretending that they didn't basically use their government post to become one of the "1%"

Don't worry, we will continue to fight Left v Right, Dem v Pub, us v them while they carry the money away. Which is why I am independent, I can't support that- it's just crazy.

[GennGreymane]

No Jay...

lets just get a beer, buddy.

[Eldar45]

Only when the left stops with the racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe that hates the poor narrative and the right stops with all the memes and trolling.


There are two kinds of people that you can't argue with: Those that only see red and those that only see blue. I'm afraid that there are far to many on this forum that only see blue.

You can easily see the people that you can't have a good discussion with: Its either the people that see Trump is literally Hitler or the people that see Trump as the Messiah.

[Revi]

Surely, otherwise we'd still be ruled by our tribe chief.

[Theinquisition]

Sometimes.

Know your audience, if you are surrounded by those who are hostile to differing opinions, maybe your time could be best spent elsewhere.

Unless you just like to shitpost and piss off the opposition

- - - Updated - - -

Only when the left stops with the racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe that hates the poor narrative and the right stops with all the memes and trolling.


There are two kinds of people that you can't argue with: Those that only see red and those that only see blue. I'm afraid that there are far to many on this forum that only see blue.

You can easily see the people that you can't have a good discussion with: Its either the people that see Trump is literally Hitler or the people that see Trump as the Messiah.

I generally agree here.

this forum use to be much more balanced and fun to debate on, now....not so much.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

I've never been able to understand the whole left right thing or why people seem to freak out about politics.