"I won't take this from my inferiors!"(The joys of a debate)

[Sanguvixen]

That is what someone said to me in a debate the other day.

If you want proof than here is proof:



Anyway, I was just thinking about some different things pertaining to debates and discussions and there are some pretty annoying things that every so often crop up.

You have the people who just post topics just to piss off people.
Then you have people who have this whole "I'm a god" or "I'm a Genius" complex, and they think only thier opinion matters.

Of course you've got those who would never admit that they could possibly be wrong, which is why the Flat World Society still exist, since in the face of evidence and logic they still want to believe the world to be flat.

I'm sure all of you have gotten into some interesting debates/arguments/discussion so tell me what do you hate to see in a debate/argument/discussion and what do you love to see?

What kind of behavior really pisses you off?

What is the most amusing thing you have ever come across while discussing various viewpoint?

EDIT: Sorry the picture stretches the page but if I resize it you won't be able to read the text.

 

[Yami_Ichi]

Basically, the most recent debate I had was the one that ticked me off the most. There was a link to an article posted here about evolution and natural selection, which I am sure many of you had read. I read through it, and picked some points that I thought were interesting. I started off my reply with a compliment, and then added facts, along with a suggestion. What I got back was simply immature.

First, he changed the subject of the e-mail to "Dumb Atheist believes evolution."
He then persisted to tell me that I was just dumb.
I was unable to take the "debate" past that, because he blocked my e-mail.

That is what ticks me off. When you post something on the internet, and give your e-mail on the page, you can expect to have some people e-mail you, wanting to tell you that you are wrong or provide criticism. And when you post, you need to be ready for that. When someone isn't, and proves to me that they are incapable of a mature debate, that is what ticks me off. When you post something for the whole world to see, then you need to be ready for what the world has to say.

[If you want to read what I wrote and what he replied to me, you can go to the thread in the guild entitled, "How dare they..."]

 

[Tenth Speed Writer]

People like that are simply impossible to debate with in an online environment. They utterly refuse to believe what "that little character in the box with the STUPIDSTUFF" has to say, and shrug you off, no matter your stance, as though they were automatically superior, simply because they are physically present.

It's almost a relief to see how few there are who hold this trait in face to face confrontation. The fact that they're, quoting my mother, showing their a** in public seems to be driven in rather well. Personally, I don't enjoy having to use things such as that to force someone to listen to a point, as the hostility will turn them naturally against it, but it does serve to bring you to a position of superiority if the situation calls for it.




Either way, I'm very, very amused. xd  

[[x] Natasha [x]]

Rather amusing to read....those kind of people are annoying to talk to though.  

[Niveous]

What ticks me off is when the love of debate fades away,

This happens for me when I'm having a nice forum debate.

I'm not afraid of my flaws. I'M BLUNT. I'M BITTER. I'M A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE.

I still never take the debate seriously to heart as a personal attack. A lot of people do, even those who usually seem indifferent and open minded like myself.

I will not stand and be ridiculed for my ideas and opinions. I don't want my personal self being put on public execution. Just because someone has trouble making a counter and decides (This Niveous person must hate me because he is always trying to disprove me. I must insult him and make others laugh at him as well. Maybe I should say he has no life because he likes using big words. Or I can insult his family and friends. I can call him a nerd...ect)

I don't hate people. In fact, I love debates, its fun...its a friendly spar of logic and wit. Sure, people like to spar, and get into it. But no one dies or is injured. It's a safe way to challenge one another. The same goes for debates.

I'm sorry you have trouble with your emotions, and I DO MAKE AND EFFORT to be nice. But I'm lying to myself. I had a hard life. I can't...always be nice. Sometimes being aggressive and blunt is all I can do.


People really need to relax. Too much conviction in their ego and pride. Too much association with themselves and their opinions and ideas.  

[Fuzzy Kittens]

What ticks me off is when people assume that because they believe something that contradicts popular opinion, it makes them special and all-intelligent.

This happened in my philosophy class today, with a fellow atheist as the culprit, in fact. Now, it's important that in philosophy, you leave your "feelings" at the door, because logic is not based on feelings. Everything said during the class is meant to looked at intelligently.

Anyways. The instructor was trying to teach the class how to use a set of rules we just learned in an argument. He asked for an example he could write on the board, "something somebody believes". A gal in the back with a history of grinding everyone's nerves immediately chirps "I don't believe in God!"

The instructor goes on and uses that as an example, attempting to set up an argument that proves the nonexistence of God. He gets a little disappointed midway, commenting that no one in the class is participating.

Cue obnoxious girl: "That's because they're all offended by my personal belief." And she's one of those people who repeats the same thing over and over without always finishing the sentence. She just goes on and on about "Just because it's MY personal belief, my personal belief, and everyone else is...*scoff*"

I always thought "haughties" like that were just an overdrawn stereotype on tweenie TV shows. Turns out they really do exist. >_<  

[Sanguvixen]

Yami_Ichi

Basically, the most recent debate I had was the one that ticked me off the most. There was a link to an article posted here about evolution and natural selection, which I am sure many of you had read. I read through it, and picked some points that I thought were interesting. I started off my reply with a compliment, and then added facts, along with a suggestion. What I got back was simply immature.

First, he changed the subject of the e-mail to "Dumb Atheist believes evolution."
He then persisted to tell me that I was just dumb.
I was unable to take the "debate" past that, because he blocked my e-mail.

That is what ticks me off. When you post something on the internet, and give your e-mail on the page, you can expect to have some people e-mail you, wanting to tell you that you are wrong or provide criticism. And when you post, you need to be ready for that. When someone isn't, and proves to me that they are incapable of a mature debate, that is what ticks me off. When you post something for the whole world to see, then you need to be ready for what the world has to say.

[If you want to read what I wrote and what he replied to me, you can go to the thread in the guild entitled, "How dare they..."]

Yeah well....I would have stopped at the "Dumb Athiest" part. Usually a person who resorts to petty and pathetic insults is not worth the time.

 

[Sanguvixen]

[x] Natasha [x]

Rather amusing to read....those kind of people are annoying to talk to though.

Yeah...well it all started when he accused me of not being on topic, or understanding the first post. Pardon me though, the Creator of the topic was present, and if I was of-topic he would have told me right?

Don't ever get into an argument with a arrogent prommie because they...sometimes act like the ones above. If anything just ignore them and focus on the more open minded ones in the debate or discussion thread.

 

[Sanguvixen]

Niveous

What ticks me off is when the love of debate fades away,

This happens for me when I'm having a nice forum debate.

I'm not afraid of my flaws. I'M BLUNT. I'M BITTER. I'M A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE.

I still never take the debate seriously to heart as a personal attack. A lot of people do, even those who usually seem indifferent and open minded like myself.

I will not stand and be ridiculed for my ideas and opinions. I don't want my personal self being put on public execution. Just because someone has trouble making a counter and decides (This Niveous person must hate me because he is always trying to disprove me. I must insult him and make others laugh at him as well. Maybe I should say he has no life because he likes using big words. Or I can insult his family and friends. I can call him a nerd...ect)

I don't hate people. In fact, I love debates, its fun...its a friendly spar of logic and wit. Sure, people like to spar, and get into it. But no one dies or is injured. It's a safe way to challenge one another. The same goes for debates.

I'm sorry you have trouble with your emotions, and I DO MAKE AND EFFORT to be nice. But I'm lying to myself. I had a hard life. I can't...always be nice. Sometimes being aggressive and blunt is all I can do.


People really need to relax. Too much conviction in their ego and pride. Too much association with themselves and their opinions and ideas.

Yeah...all you can do is make an effort to be nice. All you can do is try to be as open to other people's ideas as possible.

When I began I fell into the trap of putting to much heart into a debate. Since then I learned you are better off to use your mind. Leave the heart at the entrance, and use your mind to debate, because you are better off.

It can be very incensing though when someone is really thick headed though.

 

[Sanguvixen]

Tenth Speed Writer

People like that are simply impossible to debate with in an online environment. They utterly refuse to believe what "that little character in the box with the STUPIDSTUFF" has to say, and shrug you off, no matter your stance, as though they were automatically superior, simply because they are physically present.

It's almost a relief to see how few there are who hold this trait in face to face confrontation. The fact that they're, quoting my mother, showing their a** in public seems to be driven in rather well. Personally, I don't enjoy having to use things such as that to force someone to listen to a point, as the hostility will turn them naturally against it, but it does serve to bring you to a position of superiority if the situation calls for it.




Either way, I'm very, very amused. xd

No they are not. They are just arrogent. You just ignore them, and refuse to cater to thier whims. Sometimes they leave, and sometimes they ignore you, but sometimes they calm down and become much more polite and less arrogent.

The reason why few people hold that trait you speak of in real life is because being face to face with someone is different than facing a computer screen. People become desensitized to the feelings of others when all they face is a screen. It's the bad thing about being online and debating because you sometimes forget there is a person on the other side of that screen with feelings, and emotions.

 

[Meirelle]

One time I told this stupid kid that a fetus is just a glob of cells and he got so pissed at me. The thing is... it's true. A fetus is just a glob of cells, soul or soul-less. What's there to be upset about?

I have the IM conversation saved somewhere... I should find it and post it.  

[Sanguvixen]

Meirelle

One time I told this stupid kid that a fetus is just a glob of cells and he got so pissed at me. The thing is... it's true. A fetus is just a glob of cells, soul or soul-less. What's there to be upset about?

I have the IM conversation saved somewhere... I should find it and post it.

Yeah...well apparently, a Glob of Cells is supposed to have more rights than a living person. stare
Someone forbid you point out the truth and the obvious.

Just be certain to mark out the username or screen name if you take a screenie.

 

[Niveous]

Yeah, I think that is a good point.

People DO tend to get desensitized when chatting to a computer screen rather than a flesh and bones person. That's a problem right there.

For some people, it's only that. But maybe others get to...i don't know....lash out their pent up anger and just plain bile building up in their throat from taking mild-large scale abuse all day. And here is this golden opportunity, to release all this bile...to a random screen name.

And that, truly ruins a debate. LOOK, its not OUR job to be your therapist.
Debate, look it up. It doesn't include venting out anger. You do that with people who know and care enough to tolerate it.

This may be just me. I seem to notice "clicks" in debates and forums. There is always one person who I think is just scum. Simply because, once they get comfortable in this "click", they think "I don't have to be polite and open-minded to others because I have enough people to back me up already." They abuse the comfort he/she receives from the group, and is elitist and outright obnoxious, to anyone (polite and intelligent or not) who happens to disagree on some point.

It's a waste of intelligence, the one who believes they already figured it out and it doesn't need to be poked at anymore.  

[Sanguvixen]

Niveous

Yeah, I think that is a good point.

People DO tend to get desensitized when chatting to a computer screen rather than a flesh and bones person. That's a problem right there.

For some people, it's only that. But maybe others get to...i don't know....lash out their pent up anger and just plain bile building up in their throat from taking mild-large scale abuse all day. And here is this golden opportunity, to release all this bile...to a random screen name.

And that, truly ruins a debate. LOOK, its not OUR job to be your therapist.
Debate, look it up. It doesn't include venting out anger. You do that with people who know and care enough to tolerate it.

This may be just me. I seem to notice "clicks" in debates and forums. There is always one person who I think is just scum. Simply because, once they get comfortable in this "click", they think "I don't have to be polite and open-minded to others because I have enough people to back me up already." They abuse the comfort he/she receives from the group, and is elitist and outright obnoxious, to anyone (polite and intelligent or not) who happens to disagree on some point.

It's a waste of intelligence, the one who believes they already figured it out and it doesn't need to be poked at anymore.

Somehow people have begun to use the Internet as a b***h box. Don't video-games already serve the purpose of venting pent up anger? If you don't play video-games...can't you blog?

I've noticed that with the clique thing. It's like, people will enter a thread together, and try to use numbers to outweigh thier opponent, but they don't even have an argument/counter argument to begin with.

Now sometimes it is different though. If you are dealing with someone who has strong opinions on a topic they clearly don't understand, or haven't well researched, than having numbers on your side is good to make them just shut-up. There is nothing worse than arguing with someone who has no clue what the topic is. When you use numbers though to just prevent any chance of there being an argument against you, and turn debates into jerk circles....that is when you begin to run into a problem.

I've dealt with my share of less savory people in the GD. I always try to be polite, tolerant, and open. I try to give everyone a chance to say what they have to say, and I don't get into personal attacks(usually). However, there is an exeption. Those are a few people in the GD whom I can't stand. They do one of several things. They just use jerk circles to get thier way. Or maybe they ignore all valid points, and only go up to someone when they can find room for a personal attack. Or they just try to rile a person up just for fun. Or they act as though they are better than all others, and thus because of that "Holier than thou" attitude, think they don't have to care about the opinions and views of others. Usually I focus my efforts into making those kind of people leave the thread quickly, and usually they do leave which is a relief for me. I really don't want to hear someone go on about how "People of this sub-culture are stupid, and [insert sweeping generalization and ad-hominems X 100]" from a person who just made a thread whining about "Weeaboos", and then trying to say that she isn't a "Weeaboo" and just happens to live Anime and Otaku. That is a whole other thing though about an experience with a hippocrite/troll.

If you look into debate, Logial Fallacies such as Ad Hominems and Post Hocs are big no-no's and so many people don't get that. I hate that....you bring up some very good points, and the other person ignores all of that, finds room for a personal attack, and flames away.

I was dealing with that last night. Oh...forget all I said earlier that is valid and true, and just bold one statement, twist it, and try to turn it around to make me look like the arrogent and ignorent one. Try to make me look like the person you stare at when you look in the mirror and see yourself. I'm not ranting really...I've just got a lot on my mind.

The bottom line is if you can't get your point across without resorting to Grammer Nazi behavior, logical fallacies, or being a blatent a*****e than you don't belong in a debate. Go make a blog! stare

 

[Niveous]

I, may not act it, but deep down I respect every single person I talk to.

My take on it is this....life...is a complex jigsaw puzzle,and no matter how many pieces you have learned, every person has their own unique piece to add.


That's a good one though! "They need a blog" You mind if I steal it?

I'm tired of telling people, "I'm not your therapist"
Now I can say, "Do I look like a blog for your angst? The question was rhetorical, so SIT DOWN pacchinno and drive around!"

Yes, its shock value, the less I make sense the more someone will not react and stay in a state of confusion. Anyway, I'm not sure, but that came dangeously close to a rant. lol
I don't mind though. It's worth ranting about, it just has so many issues with it. Got to love the "Natzi Police" The Law is grammar, not context.
They can't arrest themselves after all.

Anyway, it's one reason I don't even bother anymore. The potential disaster in a self proclaimed intelligent forum or chat is enough to make me say "Maybe later....."


That's why Ilike it here, No one picks on me, even when I'm not the nicest person. Everyone will hear you out. We even have a Christian here, and she/he seems to get along fine.


Anyway, blogs are great, everyone who's having a rough day shouold get one. Venting on paper is just a great way to cool down.