# Should the SDMB prohibit debates? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676 "2010-10-19T17:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/41 "2010-10-19T19:01:45Z")
_If_ the SDMB were to decide to get rid of a forum, I wouldn’t mind seeing GD go. It’s probably the place I spend the least amount of time, although I do participate in threads now and then. But saying it my least likely to be missed is not the same as thinking it “should” be prohibited. So my strict answer to this poll is “no” although in the other poll I picked GD to eliminate. No contradiction there. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/42 "2010-10-19T19:02:03Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I’m not sure what you’re trying to say with this, but I’ll note that most of those who have said they’re not fond of GD have join dates of around 2000-2002, same as you. I imagine you didn’t notice us because we’re not into the kind of shrill circular fighting that happens in GD, so you won’t see us there. That you haven’t noticed us in other SDMB forums probably has more to do with your own habits than with ours. Setting aside a debate about your characterization of Great Debates, my point is that if I don’t recognize your name, it’s probably because you don’t post much in Great Debates. Thus your opinion of whether or not Great Debates should be retained or is just a place of shrill circular fighting is really probably only as valid as my opinion about whether the ladies’ undergarments section of any department store is worthwhile and should be retained, or even whether it could be characterized as shrill, circular undergarmenting, since I never utilize that department and wouldn’t have the first clue. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/43 "2010-10-19T19:02:17Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > If you don’t like debates there’s nothing forcing you to click on the link to the debate forum and then clicking on the link to a debate thread. Which is pretty much exactly what I’ve been saying. I wouldn’t miss GD if it disappeared, _because_ I never read it to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/44 "2010-10-19T19:07:07Z")
“What wouldn’t you miss” was not the poll question in either thread. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/45 "2010-10-19T19:10:22Z")
I’ll try to address the problem, the way I see it. I find that the “debates” consist almost entirely of people with fixed positions arguing over semantics to score points, which can be tedious, because nothing of substance moves; people only get to say “gotcha” whan someone slips up with their semantics. “But you said…” ::yawn:: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/46 "2010-10-19T19:11:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > . One poster in that thread said that “the rest of us” (meaning everybody but me, I presume) wpould enjoy the board just fine if there was no debating allowed. . No, I meant “everyone who thinks GD could/should go away”. Not everyone on the board but you. But you mischaracterize the thread, I think. I took it: Of all of the forums which we would send away if I HAD to pick one, which one? And some people, myself included, picked GD. If you ask me, directly, “Should GD go away”? I wouldn’t think it should just be dropped. People like it, so it should stay. I wouldn’t vote for it to be gone, UNLESS PTB said one forum HAS to go, and then I’d vote it first. See the difference? Personally I think the forums that should disappear first are the ones that are not on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/47 "2010-10-19T19:12:40Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Setting aside a debate about your characterization of Great Debates, my point is that if I don’t recognize your name, it’s probably because you don’t post much in Great Debates. Thus your opinion of whether or not Great Debates should be retained or is just a place of shrill circular fighting is really probably only as valid as my opinion about whether the ladies’ undergarments section of any department store is worthwhile and should be retained, or even whether it could be characterized as shrill, circular undergarmenting, since I never utilize that department and wouldn’t have the first clue. Ah, I see. Well, I tried GD (all of the forums, actually) several years ago, it got real old real fast, so it didn’t take me long to quit and find my entertainment elsewhere, yeah. I lurk more than I post in general, anyway, since it’s pretty rare that I actually have copious amounts of time that can/should be spent piddling about on the internet. So I read, mostly, and only post (anywhere) when I don’t have something else I should be getting back to. I can’t get overly invested/involved in the whole “someone is wrong on the internet” phenomenon, or Real Life will suffer, and I need to make sure that doesn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/48 "2010-10-19T19:14:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > “What wouldn’t you miss” was not the poll question in either thread. I disagree! The other thread proposes that one forum WILL be removed. Therefore, it only remarks on which forum you like least, and says nothing about thinking that any forum should be removed. I answered “GD” in that other thread, and “No” in this poll. I find GD tiresome, and extremely dull most of the time. I don’t think it needs to go away, or should go away, but if one forum was eliminated, and I got to pick because I’m the Queen of Everything, then I pick GD. See? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/49 "2010-10-19T19:15:14Z")
I don’t post there that often because I don’t have the time to point/counterpoint back and forth for 50 messages. But I do read it occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/50 "2010-10-19T19:16:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I still have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. What “same thing” are you referring to? Do you have anything relevant to add to this thread or don’t you? Do you really need for me to spell this out for you? What the fuck I am talking about is that the Great Debates forum is for the most part populated by a bunch of pretentious, pompous windbags who’s opinions are no more relevant and interesting than a fart in the wind. That you, specifically, seem to have what would pass for normal faculties and yet you seem to be completely unable to entertain any thoughts other that those that conform to your own narrow little world-view. Further, the utter conviction with which you declare your opinion as if it were fact is ignorance of the worst kind. Your Shtick is old and busted. You have become a caricature of yourself. Now if you were to confine yourself to that forum I would be enthusiastically in favor of it because it would mean that I could easily avoid the drivel that you produce. Since that forum does not serve the purpose of quarantining your ceaseless yammering it seems irrelevant. Face the facts: This board lost its heart when the MPSIMS carebears overran the Pit. It is still a place to read an occasional interesting tidbit but look back at some of the older threads and tell me it isn’t a pale shadow of what it once was. It has no fire, so soul. So, yeah. Who really cares what happens to Great Debates. This board certainly is fighting very little ignorance, and certainly not in Great Debates. Kay? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/51 "2010-10-19T19:20:18Z")
This isn’t the Pit, dude. If you have a problem with me personally, please start a thread there. You don’t need to shit all over this one. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/52 "2010-10-19T19:20:58Z")
> [@villa](#): > > I’d be gone. Not that anyone would care/notice, but I’d be gone. Yeah, I mean, what would be the point of staying around? There’s far too many “social forums”, given the supposed purpose of the board. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/53 "2010-10-19T19:45:06Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > This isn’t the Pit, dude. If you have a problem with me personally, please start a thread there. You don’t need to shit all over this one. I must have missed it when you became a moderator. Also, being admonished for thread-shitting by you of all people is freaking hilarious. How about if _you_ have a problem with the way that I am posting you report it to a moderator, dude? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/54 "2010-10-19T19:51:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > “What wouldn’t you miss” was not the poll question in either thread. The other poll presupposed that one forum would be eliminated, forcing you to choose which you thought was least worthy or valuable. If the question was “Should any forums be eliminated?” I probably would have said no; but if you make me pick one, it would be GD. In other words, what **Hello Again** said. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/55 "2010-10-19T20:10:20Z")
Ahhhhh… a debate on the topic of prohibiting debates. Gotta love this place! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/56 "2010-10-19T20:15:38Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Ahhhhh… a debate on the topic of prohibiting debates. Gotta love this place! Yup. Everyone who thinks we shouldn’t debate should stop debating. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/57 "2010-10-19T20:17:26Z")
If GD were eliminated, IMHO would become the _de facto_ GD. So instead of: **Poster 1:** 98% of Mooslems are terrists! **Poster 2:** Cite? **Poster 1:** \<_sputter_\> Um, well, I think I read that somewhere… we’d get: **Poster 1:** 98% of Mooslems are terrists! **Poster 2:** Cite? **Poster 1:** My \*post \*is my cite! I fail to see the net benefit. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/58 "2010-10-19T20:27:01Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If GD were eliminated, IMHO would become the _de facto_ GD. So instead of: > > **Poster 1:** 98% of Mooslems are terrists! > **Poster 2:** Cite? > **Poster 1:** \<_sputter_\> Um, well, I think I read that somewhere… > > we’d get: > > **Poster 1:** 98% of Mooslems are terrists! > **Poster 2:** Cite? > **Poster 1:** My \*post \*is my cite! > I fail to see the net benefit. Instead of: **Poster A** 98% of muslims are terrorists **Poster B** Cite? **Poster A** There you go. **Poster B** That doesnt say what you said it said **Poster A** What? Yes it does **Poster B** No, it doesnt. 98% of muslims dont support terrorism. **Poster A** You are reading it wrong, a typical leftie problem :rolleyes: **Poster B** Its not the liberal attitude to terrorism that is the problem, its because of what Bush did. :rolleyes: (The following post will be four pages long, and will multi-quote every line written in the thread so far. In the distance, lurkers are leaving) Yeah, much better. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/59 "2010-10-19T20:34:41Z")
There’s no sense in it. The only boards that have no debate at all are insanely moderated (anyone ever read Television Without Pity?). No one here wants that. And if you allow debates but got rid of the debating forum, you’d have debating all over the board, and then it would be a lot harder to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676/60 "2010-10-19T20:38:56Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Instead of: > […] > > Yeah, much better. I can haz cheeseburger!!! LOL [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-prohibit-debates/557676.md?page=4)