Just reading another thread with a 'serious' discussion and I realized that they all seems to be such a waste of time.

People with strong beliefs on either side will furiously type out impassioned posts, full of whatever data they can grab to support their claims. The people on the other side will do the same.

Things will go back and forth until people lose interest or it degenerates into a shouting match.

And no one changes their position. They'll believe what they want to believe, and no amount of data, clever words, or passion from the opposing point of view will change their minds. That can't be done on a discussion board.

So it all seems like mental masturbation. A near total waste of time that accomplishes nothing.

Maybe this is why there are so many posts about chuck norris and pie.

A reasonable person can tell if their views are worth defending or not, after defending them

No, one reason I try to never enguage in long stupid online fights on abortion/religion/guns ect ect.

I have learned to be a LOT more openminded, through such discussions.


And I have learned that people who disagree with my on things that I hold very strongly, are NOT necessarily stupid, ignorant or insane, but can be highly intelligent people who just have a very different take on the exact same thing.

As a test of this theory, I believe "Pie" will end up the most popular option in the poll.

This site has somewhat changed my perspective on abortion.  I like to think that I am open minded, and willing to listen to the merits of a good arguement... and there are quite a few well spoken, knowledgeable people on this site who's opinions I tend to give some weight to.

I would have strongly disagreed with you but after reading your post now I agree

Quoted: A reasonable person can tell if their views are worth defending or not, after defending them

Well said.

I've become steadily more libertarian (small "l") over the past 7 years or so I've been reading gun boards.

I don't know if that's what you meant, but I've noticed it.

Quoted: I've become steadily more libertarian (small "l") over the past 7 years or so I've been reading gun boards. I don't know if that's what you meant, but I've noticed it.

not exactly.

I know change does take place, but it's not something that someone else can do. It takes time and you have to really come to the new opinion on your own - or at least believe you did. Anybody else trying to tell you that you're wrong will just make you entrench further in your position.

What I was tlaking about was after going through a discussion on something you really care about, the other person's arguing produced a change in a view you've held for years.

I can't recall ever seeing that happen. Usually it's just more arguing about the same old stuff.