Why do you engage in debate?

For us regulars here in FSA, it's obvious we enjoy debating.

Do you engage in debate only to convince others of your point of view?

Do you actually consider the other point of views expressed? Can they have an effect on your own opinion?

Is debating just something to do? (I think we all have a level of boredom to be on here as much as we are)

 

Perhaps because of my youth, but I find FSA helps define my views on some subjects. I always enjoy hearing other sides of the argument and the way other people view things.

I'm also just very opinionated and argumentative by nature, which makes debating politics & such fun for me.

 

cparso, you gotta find yourself a new hobby, even if it means borrowing clair's blow-up babe......

 

only when it is on a subject where others can actually be convinced. peoples minds are made up about religion on here.

not usually because opinions are often expressed very antagonistically. like how martin's blanket statements are made without any substantiation ... "all social programs are bad", "the government in general sucks at everything", etc.

i am sure red has convinced me of some wrongdoing and error on george bush's part over the last 3 or so years.

oftentimes it is.

 

Hardly. Mine isn't. There was a poster on the roundtable that said martin has had an effect on his beliefs. And even though martin will likely never make many here change their beliefs, atleast he makes you think.

 

That's only one example, and I think it's more the exception than the rule. Most points on here are actually debated and not just blanket statements. And with martin, his points have been discussed many times so he can make the blanket statement and others will already know why he thinks that way.

 

The next time I find myself taking advice from you, I'm going to have to really consider what I've done with my life. :yelwink2:

 

I think I'm like you. I watch and read news constantly, I'm very opinionated and like having people to debate stuff with.

I get carried away, as I do at home, but it's in good fun. In everything I do, I try to see the other's person's point of view. With some very liberal stuff, I just don't get it, but I try and understand.

And I consider myself very conservative in just about every way and have a hard time with feel-good, do-nothing liberalism.

Ya'll are good to debate stuff with. Everyone has a different point of view. The most interesting thing I see on here is how on one issue I'm aligned one guy. Then in an adjacent post he's opposite me. Pretty interesting.

 

it's just about impossible to justify the statement "all social programs are bad" outside of the context of his selfishly not wanting to pay any taxes and not caring about the welfare of his fellow man.

also he hates governmental corporate regulation in all cases yet admits to not understanding the problems inherent in the telephone/cable service provider industry requiring
departments such as the fcc to keep AT&T from raping us.

just two examples of unjustifiable blanket statements.


edit: but to continue to address your initial question: while many people posit opinions on here about various social issues, it is my opinion that sometimes those people's opinions are not valid because they don't come from experience.

for example i feel that the opinion that GWB's tax cuts are only for the rich is stupid because the people who posit it usually aren't married and don't have kids and thusly haven't experienced the benefits of an increased standard deduction and child tax credits.

also those who live off of inheritances and student loans don't need to be complaining loudly about paying taxes. talk to me when you have mouths to feed.