I enjoy debating things online sometimes. I get satisfaction from laying out my argument for what I think, and often it helps me identify and challenge my own hypocrisies. I don’t expect to be able to change the other person’s mind, but it has helped me change my own beliefs for the better. And I like to think it can persuade others who hadn’t given it much thought before.
It really depends on who the Internet randomly assigns you to debate with. Yes, you can get a knowledgeable, polite and pragmatic person who will help you find flaws in your own logic. More often than not, though, you’ll face off against people who will call you a cultist, say you’re an idiot, question your abilities, and/or tell you to fuck off.
That’s why I think debating is better done in person, with people you know at least tangentially. They’re less likely to be raging jerks, and if they are, you can avoid them in the future. On the Internet, those jerks will follow you everywhere on the platform and hound you.
I enjoy debating things online sometimes. I get satisfaction from laying out my argument for what I think, and often it helps me identify and challenge my own hypocrisies. I don’t expect to be able to change the other person’s mind, but it has helped me change my own beliefs for the better. And I like to think it can persuade others who hadn’t given it much thought before.
It really depends on who the Internet randomly assigns you to debate with. Yes, you can get a knowledgeable, polite and pragmatic person who will help you find flaws in your own logic. More often than not, though, you’ll face off against people who will call you a cultist, say you’re an idiot, question your abilities, and/or tell you to fuck off.
That’s why I think debating is better done in person, with people you know at least tangentially. They’re less likely to be raging jerks, and if they are, you can avoid them in the future. On the Internet, those jerks will follow you everywhere on the platform and hound you.