And occasionally in ATMB where there are summarily banned for being trolls. :dubious:
They are currently unavailable for comment, as they’re being used for breeding purposes.
Whichever side can shout out the other wins. The SDMB is ruled by consensus reality.
The winners aren’t posted, but it’s usually clear if someone actually won the debate, as the other side will just start using rhetorical tactics instead of actually debating.
That’s an association fallacy.
First off, good one.
Second, I’m afraid I was unclear. The debate is lost when you have stopped making your point, but continue posting. Pointing out a fallacy, for example, is not a concession of defeat, but if that’s all you are doing, you have effectively ended the debate. One can find a fallacy in everything, but, most often, there is an underlying premise that can and should be debated.
So what does it mean when someone starts posting serious arguments in a joke thread?
Then you know you’re on the Dope.
I’m the winner of every single thread, even the ones I don’t post in. Especially those.
Actually, I just didn’t realize it was a joke until I’d already written most of the rest of it.
And it is one way to win a thread–be the only one making an argument. 
Right. This is a matter for us.
Why are Other People always asking about things like this?
- Jack
Anyone whose ignorance has been successfully fought is a winner.
Exactly. In other words, there are no winners.
Sometimes simply being able to preserve one’s own non-ignorance counts as a win, too.
I don’t know about that.