Is it a bit insane to try to debate topics on internet forums?

[Kokolums]

From my experience I see this:

1. If you strongly support a view and try to shout down opposing views, people attack you for silencing debate.
2. If you say there is some wiggle room in your view, you get attacked by both sides. People who strongly support your view without wiggle room view you as a traitor, and people against your view just lump you in with the people who strongly support it.
3. If you open with a disclaimer that everything is just your opinion and its ok to disagree, then opponents of the view will tell you that your opinion is worthless and to just shut up because not even you believe in it.

And every topic of debate seems to turn personal. No matter what side you take, eventually people against you will try to assassinate your character instead of arguing the topic. The longer you stick around an try to debate things, the faster it descends into childish name-calling.

I open up any debate thread and it seems filled with name-calling and open ridicule between posters.

So I just wonder, isn't it insanity to even participate?

[Zecora]

So I just wonder, isn't it insanity to even participate?

Yes.

At least on this forum, and on most of the others too.

[Deleted]

From my experience I see this:

1. If you strongly support a view and try to shout down opposing views, people attack you for silencing debate.
2. If you say there is some wiggle room in your view, you get attacked by both sides. People who strongly support your view without wiggle room view you as a traitor, and people against your view just lump you in with the people who strongly support it.
3. If you open with a disclaimer that everything is just your opinion and its ok to disagree, then opponents of the view will tell you that your opinion is worthless and to just shut up because not even you believe in it.

And every topic of debate seems to turn personal. No matter what side you take, eventually people against you will try to assassinate your character instead of arguing the topic. The longer you stick around an try to debate things, the faster it descends into childish name-calling.

I open up any debate thread and it seems filled with name-calling and open ridicule between posters.

So I just wonder, isn't it insanity to even participate?

It's virtually impossible to have an intelligent mature debate with unintelligent immature people period. Especially with annonymity

[Deleted]

It's insane to not participate. Watching all kinds of idiots lash at each other is the best kind of entertainment you can ask for.

[May90]

There are some reasonable people here willing to carry out civilized discussions. You can see others as white noise and ignore them, and you will be good.

[Pretty Little Psycho]

There are some reasonable people here willing to carry out civilized discussions. You can see others as white noise and ignore them, and you will be good.

Who are those?

[Ghostpanther]

From my experience I see this:

1. If you strongly support a view and try to shout down opposing views, people attack you for silencing debate.
2. If you say there is some wiggle room in your view, you get attacked by both sides. People who strongly support your view without wiggle room view you as a traitor, and people against your view just lump you in with the people who strongly support it.
3. If you open with a disclaimer that everything is just your opinion and its ok to disagree, then opponents of the view will tell you that your opinion is worthless and to just shut up because not even you believe in it.

And every topic of debate seems to turn personal. No matter what side you take, eventually people against you will try to assassinate your character instead of arguing the topic. The longer you stick around an try to debate things, the faster it descends into childish name-calling.

I open up any debate thread and it seems filled with name-calling and open ridicule between posters.

So I just wonder, isn't it insanity to even participate?

It can be entertaining and sometimes, educational when the topic is not something you know anything about. And after a while you begin to know who the trolls are and the ones who are capable of having a decent debate with and those who need to join your ignore list. Do not take the rude and insults personal and if they persist, put them on your ignore list where they belong. They have nothing of value to input and some are just here to stir shit up and laugh about. Maybe because in real life they want to be bullies, but do not have the guts to do it.

[Deleted]

It's only insane if you expect it to actually accomplish something.

[Deleted]

Who are those?

Yourself example

[klogaroth]

It's possible, but what is insane is the amount of moderation that's required to discuss many topics. So much moderation that it's not really worth it.

[Jack Hatchet]

If you walk away from a debate learning just one thing then it was worth it.

Debate isn't always about changing people's opinions, but I find it most effective at changing my own perception on things. Generally I find more reasons to reinforce my own beliefs or I learn new information that causes me to change stances. You don't have to convince anyone to change for a debate to be a useful learning experience. And even when people don't let you know that you won--sometimes they learn something new anyways, but are too proud to say it. People pick up information from all sorts of places. Some of it stays with them for a day and sometimes it stays with them for a lifetime. You'll never really know if you change someone's opinion, but you'll never take the opportunity if you don't try.

I mostly debate for entertainment, but I'm sure if you really wanted to push yourself as a person and learn more you could find other forums that might specialize in such things. I have a very niche group of friends that I debate philosophy, religion, and ethics with who will invest much more thought into their discussions than the average forum user. So if you really feel you need to push your boundaries, don't pigeon-hole or limit yourself to gaming forums. The world is a big and wonderful place.

It's nor insanity to debate things on forums, but it is foolish route to go if you have expectations to push an agenda or change the world. And when it comes to personal expectations--that's on you!

[jellmoo]

Take any 10 people. Break it down and you probably have:

6 relatively reasonable people, who may be passionate, but can have a civil talk.
2 people who are contrary assholes and think they're always right.
1 Troll that loves to stir shit.
1 shitfaced crazy person that screams about whatever their shitfaced insane ideas are.

The loudest people are the ones in the last three categories. Now, instead of 10 people, we multiply each one by the thousands that participate on internet forums.

The reasonable people still make up the majority, but the others are the loud ones that stifle conversation. That's internet debate in a nutshell.

[starlord]

it depends on how people approach the topic. Most people lack logic and critical thinking skills, much less know how to properly debate.
its kind of like the old saying about playing chess with a pigeon. you can present all kinds of careful thought out strategies and then the pigeons will just knock over the board and poop everywhere.

[Kokolums]

It's insane to not participate. Watching all kinds of idiots lash at each other is the best kind of entertainment you can ask for.

That's technically being an observer, not a participant.

[Deleted]

On these forums the best topics for awesome debates are

>Pedophilia vs. Child molestation
>Police hate black people
>Systematic racism and sexism is why people of colour and women are oppressed
>Video games/movies/anime make people violent/sexist/homophobic
>Why do some people enjoy X/Y/Z, even though I have been taught all my life that X/Y/Z is bad

[Kokolums]

it depends on how people approach the topic. Most people lack logic and critical thinking skills, much less know how to properly debate.
its kind of like the old saying about playing chess with a pigeon. you can present all kinds of careful thought out strategies and then the pigeons will just knock over the board and poop everywhere.

I still question if debate even works at all. I think the only thing debate achieves is that it determines who is the best at selling a point of view. A great salesman can sell ice to eskimos. A great salesman can take any side in a debate and convince a majority to agree with it. I think its better to use trial-and-error. Even if an idea (within reason) sounds dumb, it must be tried before dismissing it totally because you must account for the fact that the advocate for the opinion might just be a terrible salesman.

[Deleted]

That's technically being an observer, not a participant.

But if you participate you can throw in some delicious bait and be Devil's advocate.

[Gadion]

I still question if debate even works at all. I think the only thing debate achieves is that it determines who is the best at selling a point of view. A great salesman can sell ice to eskimos. A great salesman can take any side in a debate and convince a majority to agree with it. I think its better to use trial-and-error. Even if an idea (within reason) sounds dumb, it must be tried before dismissing it totally because you must account for the fact that the advocate for the opinion might just be a terrible salesman.

Perhaps people should view these discussions as less of a competition to see *who* is right, but rather view it as a scientific investigation into *what* is correct. Taking a discussion as a competition turns things personal. But it doesn't need to be, since people are not their views. You don't have to convince anyone of anything, you merely attempt to state the facts and let people consider their merits. Always consider it as a learning opportunity. This is a major reason for my reading these forums, since I've noticed many people hold views contrary to my own. Exposing yourself to new ideas holds the possibility of growth. Thus, to me it never seems like a fruitless endeavour.

[primalmatter]

It is for amusement. People never change their stance on a Internet forum they just come to hurl shit at each other.

[Deleted]

I personally don't see the point in debates much, I see the point in educating and exchanging information, but debating opinions (which generally comes down to "I can't know for sure but I think X might be true" "No I think Y might be true") is some of the most worthless waste of time there is.

People are just trolling most of the time anyway, either that or the internet attracts huge assholes who would never even dare interacting that way when facing real people and somehow feel uninhibited by anonymity. I have never seen these kind of attitudes in RL. Life is shit enough as is, I am not interested in dealing with even worse minded individuals.