The hell do I use facebook for? Fights, of the internet variety. I choose to argue with people I might run into sometime in the next year. That way I can spit on their windshields. It usually does not come to that however. Most of the time I can avoid the shit, because that is really all arguing on the internet is, shit. More often than not it is the same fallacy laden arguments rehashed. That gets fucking tiring. This isn't a statement against one side either. Both are quite equally guilty of it. I'm thinking that debate class might need to be a mandatory credit for high school graduation.
A key thing to remember is, you're talking to a person. A real flesh and blood human being. Unless it's a bot, in which case you're an idiot for arguing with the AI. (You know they will rise up and remember you right?) That person has thoughts, feelings, and experiences of their own. Take the time to listen, you will learn something. An individual's opinion will never be changed by yelling louder than them. They will never listen to you if you subscribe hyperbolic stereotypes to them. "The NRA have blood on their hands!" Thank God you said that! I'm sure it totally had a positive effect on them. Do I like the NRA? FUCK NO! I think as an organization they are a bunch of fear mongering assholes. So what do I do? I fucking ignore them. The boycott NRA shit was annoying. When I can I engage those who feel differently, I point that out. I discuss the tactics and manipulation techniques being used. We try to find the point they're attempting to make, and debate the merits of that.
If you debate with a person, and treat them like a human being. They will listen. Their position may not change, in fact it quite likely won't. They'll hear you though, and your ideas will sit in their heads. It will offer them more to contemplate, so that maybe next time your debate gets a little further.
Never blog without a drink,
Mikey
p.s. Be thankful for people who announce they are assholes, it let's you know that nothing further out of that individuals mouth is worth listening too.
A key thing to remember is, you're talking to a person. A real flesh and blood human being. Unless it's a bot, in which case you're an idiot for arguing with the AI. (You know they will rise up and remember you right?) That person has thoughts, feelings, and experiences of their own. Take the time to listen, you will learn something. An individual's opinion will never be changed by yelling louder than them. They will never listen to you if you subscribe hyperbolic stereotypes to them. "The NRA have blood on their hands!" Thank God you said that! I'm sure it totally had a positive effect on them. Do I like the NRA? FUCK NO! I think as an organization they are a bunch of fear mongering assholes. So what do I do? I fucking ignore them. The boycott NRA shit was annoying. When I can I engage those who feel differently, I point that out. I discuss the tactics and manipulation techniques being used. We try to find the point they're attempting to make, and debate the merits of that.
If you debate with a person, and treat them like a human being. They will listen. Their position may not change, in fact it quite likely won't. They'll hear you though, and your ideas will sit in their heads. It will offer them more to contemplate, so that maybe next time your debate gets a little further.
Never blog without a drink,
Mikey
p.s. Be thankful for people who announce they are assholes, it let's you know that nothing further out of that individuals mouth is worth listening too.
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