# If a poster is wrong more than half the time, would you take them seriously? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238 "2013-09-07T09:31:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/101 "2013-09-08T22:01:35Z")
Perhaps you should take a careful count of those who have posted in this thread in support of your position, vs those who are not. When \*everybody \*tells you it’s you, it’s you. An intelligent person would then reassess. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/102 "2013-09-08T22:24:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > It takes a certain kind of courage to acknowledge when an idea that ‘felt’ so great turned out to be a completely false trail. But it takes [True Courage](http://www.theonion.com/articles/true-courage-is-knowing-youre-wrong-but-refusing-t,33742/) to know you’re wrong and refuse to admit it. > [@](#): > > Courage requires us to remain steadfast in our beliefs. It asks that we stand by the convictions we express and never give an inch, no matter what the cost. However off base, wrongheaded, or patently false a position we’ve staked out may be, courage nonetheless demands that we blindly pound home our stupid fucking point, never letting up. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/103 "2013-09-08T23:00:47Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Perhaps you should take a careful count of those who have posted in this thread in support of your position, vs those who are not. When \*everybody \*tells you it’s you, it’s you. An intelligent person would then reassess. Got a completely different response in a more ideologically balanced forum that I’ve been on a long time. No, I think it’s you. I respect the higher standards of Straight Dope as opposed to the average message board. The manners have deterioriated significantly though as it’s become a more lefty-dominated board over the years. It wasn’t like this when I first joined. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/104 "2013-09-08T23:07:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I respect the higher standards of Straight Dope as opposed to the average message board. The manners have deterioriated significantly though as it’s become a more lefty-dominated board over the years. It wasn’t like this when I first joined. Is that why you joined and then pretty much disappeared for years? Oh, didn’t you know we could check your posting history? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/105 "2013-09-08T23:13:31Z")
I joined and disappeared because I didn’t feel I was measuring up to the high standards and didn’t want to pollute the board. I came back because I thought I was a little better, and anyway I was seeing a lot looser posting here than in the past. However, I learned pretty quickly that these new looser rules were only for liberals’ benefit. Liberals could spout whatever they wanted, conservatives must show proof for even the most uncontroversial statements. That being said, I still would have left, but I suspect over the years most conservatives have left due to the utter stupidity and lack of self awareness of the lefties on this board. I remember there being a lot more here before. I’m not going to let you morons win. I will actually get better at supporting my arguments, and I’ll rub your ugly faces in it when I best you, just as you do to me. However, the difference will be that I’ll actually wait until I’ve proved something before doing the victory dance. Something you all could learn. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/106 "2013-09-08T23:21:26Z")
That’s all very nice, but Bricker doesn’t exactly lean left. Just out of curiosity, what is this other board, which tells you you’re fine, even though you haven’t won a argument here yet? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/107 "2013-09-08T23:24:26Z")
His mom. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/108 "2013-09-08T23:25:51Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I joined and disappeared because I didn’t feel I was measuring up to the high standards and didn’t want to pollute the board. > > I came back because I thought I was a little better, and anyway I was seeing a lot looser posting here than in the past. However, I learned pretty quickly that these new looser rules were only for liberals’ benefit. Liberals could spout whatever they wanted, conservatives must show proof for even the most uncontroversial statements. > > That being said, I still would have left, but I suspect over the years most conservatives have left due to the utter stupidity and lack of self awareness of the lefties on this board. Here, **adaher** is on firmer ground. Right now in GD, **Evil Captor** has a thread titled: [GOP Platform Officially Endorses Banning All Porn](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701692). In short order, it’s been demonstrated that he mistook a 2012 analysis for something current, and that far from banning all porn, the actual item in the old 2012 platform merely says that the GOP seeks to enforce existing laws. There has been very little scorn or vitriol directed his way. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/109 "2013-09-08T23:35:01Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > That’s all very nice, but Bricker doesn’t exactly lean left. > Just out of curiosity, what is this other board, which tells you you’re fine, even though you haven’t won a argument here yet? Bricker and many others here gave good advice, which I intend to follow. Bricker’s advice was especially apt given that he’s apparently observed the same double standard I have. And I wasn’t told I was fine. Just a completely different tone. Being wrong is wrong, it’s not right. 😉 But as a famous man once said, “hate the sin, not the sinner.” I just don’t react angrily when I see someone say something stupid, or half true, or even outright misleading. I have a keyboard just like the other guy, I simply post a response with a different view. So I have to wonder what kind of mental illness causes such harsh responses in a forum that presumably does not affect anyone’s life one way or the other. It’s like this forum has the brains of a Mensa forum, yet the maturity of your average youtube video discussion. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/110 "2013-09-08T23:39:17Z")
You still don’t get it. It’s not about posting a different view. It’s about wasting the time of posters trying to engage in fact-based discussions (whether factual or opinions supported by facts) because you can’t be arsed to care about making sure you know what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/111 "2013-09-08T23:39:21Z")
An ‘old 2012 platform’ really isn’t “old”, is it? And I remember that when it was said last year. Kinda gives the lie to the whole “Libertarian” claims of many on the Right and reinforces the moral police aspects. As far as the thread on it? Yeah, I read it, saw that it was old news, and wandered off. Yes, **EvilCaptor** is off-base on his claims. My apologies for not heaping scorn on someone who posted old news, but if I spent my time doing that, it would be a full time job. Not entirely sure where the ‘show proof’ is on something like that or how it would be even remotely considered something under the banner of “See, Liberals have it so easy on this board!”. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/112 "2013-09-08T23:46:18Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > You still don’t get it. > > It’s not about posting a different view. It’s about wasting the time of posters trying to engage in fact-based discussions (whether factual or opinions supported by facts) because you can’t be arsed to care about making sure you know what you’re talking about. There have been times when I’ve yanked a dumb argument out of my ass, but I assure you at the time it sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Yes, I need to be more careful, this board has high standards. However, it would be nice if people waited until I actually posted something dumb and unsupported before getting nasty. Sometimes my posts aren’t wasting time at all, they just don’t like the implications of the argument, or the cite used to support it, because it challenges their cherished views. And the way this board has been lately, it appears that people’s cherished views aren’t being challenged very much. It’s becoming an echo chamber, at least on politics(the science discussions are still A+). ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/113 "2013-09-08T23:51:46Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > An ‘old 2012 platform’ really isn’t “old”, is it? And I remember that when it was said last year. Kinda gives the lie to the whole “Libertarian” claims of many on the Right and reinforces the moral police aspects. > > As far as the thread on it? Yeah, I read it, saw that it was old news, and wandered off. Yes, **EvilCaptor** is off-base on his claims. My apologies for not heaping scorn on someone who posted old news, but if I spent my time doing that, it would be a full time job. Not entirely sure where the ‘show proof’ is on something like that or how it would be even remotely considered something under the banner of “See, Liberals have it so easy on this board!”. It’s not the kind of thing you’ll easily notice if you’re liberal. Liberal A posts an unsupported statement that seems obvious to other board liberals because in their circles, it’s common knowledge. Conservative B posts a rebuttal that is also unsupported, because in his circles, it’s also common knowledge. Guess who gets the cries for “Cite!”? Okay, so Conservative B posts the cite. At this point, there’s a good chance the cite is from somewhere that’s not considered a reliable source by liberals. Obviously, Mr. Conservative was an idiot for not knowing the source was unreliable. Or, the cite is legit, but the conservative has misinterpreted the source, or missed a significant point that liberals think is more important than he did. Then he’s an idiot and furthermore lacks reading comprehension skills. To go back to our little disagreement, I did actually cite my argument, it was from a reliable source, and you rejected it out of hand, angrily, because you had other figures that you liked better, but which were not the same. You jumped the gun. In the end, you might have had the better argument, but we don’t know because you decided you’d had enough after one exchange of cites on the subject. Ignorance not fought. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/114 "2013-09-08T23:59:31Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Here, **adaher** is on firmer ground. > > Right now in GD, **Evil Captor** has a thread titled: [GOP Platform Officially Endorses Banning All Porn](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701692). > > In short order, it’s been demonstrated that he mistook a 2012 analysis for something current, and that far from banning all porn, the actual item in the old 2012 platform merely says that the GOP seeks to enforce existing laws. > > There has been very little scorn or vitriol directed his way. Don’t think so, \*\*adaher \*\*still has to do something like this: > [@GOP Platform Officially Endorses Banning All Porn](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-platform-officially-endorses-banning-all-porn/668313/4): > > Yeah, the article is outdated by about a year. Woops. Ran across it in a current search and saw that it ran in August, sorta skipped over the year. I think the scenario will still be viable because the underlying reasoning is sound, but I haven’t seen a LOT of calls for banning all adult porn from major Republican candidates, so they may not have decided t move in that particular direction. For now, Syria’s gonna keep people busy in any event, especially if Obama is actually stupid enough to put his pecker in that particular pencil sharpener. \*\*adaher \*\*doing that would disrupt the time continuum it seems. Not much to scorn **Evil Captor** after that, except that no, there is not much of an scenario there **Evil Captor**. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/115 "2013-09-09T00:09:14Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Don’t think so, \*\*adaher \*\*still has to do something like this: True enough – but note also that while **EC** admits the date error, he has (the last time I looked, anyway) doubled down on the “ban all,” aspect. It would be great if he copped to that error as well, and then it would be crystal clear to adaher that the key is not failing to make mistakes, but reasonable admission of those mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/116 "2013-09-09T00:10:46Z")
I think one of the issues I have is that I get told to admit I’m wrong long before I think I’ve been proven wrong. A simple factual error is easy to demonstrate. Disputing my analysis of something that isn’t so black and white is not the same thing, and that’s what most of our arguments consist of. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/117 "2013-09-09T00:11:29Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Just out of curiosity, what is this other board, which tells you you’re fine, even though you haven’t won a argument here yet? I suspect it’s the same one where he made all his completely accurate pre-2012 election predictions. It’s also where his girlfriend from Canada posts. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/118 "2013-09-09T00:15:54Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > True enough – but note also that while **EC** admits the date error, he has (the last time I looked, anyway) doubled down on the “ban all,” aspect. > > It would be great if he copped to that error as well, and then it would be crystal clear to adaher that the key is not failing to make mistakes, but reasonable admission of those mistakes. Again, \*\*adaher \*\*has to still get to first base on that one. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/119 "2013-09-09T00:17:22Z")
I think you need to address the plank in your own eye. Your arguments tend to be sloppier than most and often don’t even respond to what was actually said. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238/120 "2013-09-09T00:37:51Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I think you need to address the plank in your own eye. Your arguments tend to be sloppier than most and often don’t even respond to what was actually said. Don’t tell me, the Pot that advised the Kettle told you to say that. Listen, I do expect also to get a reply showing that I get it wrong, but you often do not come with cites to counteract what I link to. And just as I noted in the other thread, you only avoid acknowledging if an specific source of yours is a racist one, and then doubling down on continue to use them. Then you know how dumb most tea partiers are for denying AGW, but then you report that you will continue with the charade that they are great leaders. That is not only sloppy, it is as consistent as baby poop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-poster-is-wrong-more-than-half-the-time-would-you-take-them-seriously/668238.md?page=7)