I am frequently involved in debates because I’m an exit counseller on the web. That means that I get irate letters from <font face=“arial,helvetica” color="#4040FF">True Believers</font> who think I am pure evil.
I’ve noticed that when I reply to them, I can find out their “weak spots” by comparing their response to my original message. That is to say, I take note of the parts that they <font face=“arial,helvetica” color="#000000">skip</font>.
I once got into a debate on a message board with a Born-Again and I started by asking one simple question:
<font face=“arial,helvetica” color="#E02020">Do you believe that a Muslim is as completely convinced as you are that his religion is the true one?</font>
The fellow’s efforts to evade the question were a wonder to behold. He kept trying to take me off on a tangent. I’d respond to his remarks (politely) and then conclude with, “So, here’s the question again …”
The question simply needed a one word answer: <font face=“arial,helvetica” color="#000000">Yes</font> or <font face=“arial,helvetica” color="#000000">No</font>. But the guy simply wouldn’t answer. Clearly he knew that both answers had some pretty disturbing implications that he was not interested in exploring.
The debate ended when the fellow went away, claiming that I was just being unreasonable.
The thing I most hate about online debate is “hit-and-run” posters, who take a cheap shot at some group or person they disapprove of while posting about something else:
“The definition of obscenity (other than fat chicks on the beach, that is): something with lewd content and no redeeming social importance.”
“I’ll try to make my point about my cat’s hairballs without mentioning that giant hairball all you liberals put in the White House.”
I hate that! It’s like people are so desperate to insult someone that they’ll shove it in any old place. And you can’t answer it without going off topic and looking like a jerk.
Good illustration, Coldfire … (Looking around for a bottle to fling in Coldfire’s general direction.)
Catrandom, who also wonders what an exit counselor might be
Gratuitous attacks and hostility. It’s “keyboard rage”. Like road rage, the relative anonymity seems to remove some controls with some people. What could be an open debate and discussion gets transformed into a nitpicking, anger-fueled shouting match.
Some of the debates here have changed my mind. I’ve learned things, and recognized points I’d never considered before. This is a personal bias, as I’m more a mediator than fighter. Some people just zestfully fling themselves into a good difference of opinion.
But the facelessness of the venue can lead to some abuses, IMO. Very few people would instantly abandon civility and go on the attack in face-to-face situations.
What really bugs me is the holier-than-though attitude of some posters who think there’s something wrong with uncivility.
No, I’m just kidding. That doesn’t bug me. What really bugs me is lame attempts at humor which interupt a thoughtful exhange of ideas. Like that paragraph above.
No, that doesn’t really bug me either. Nothing bugs me. Except for poster who try to convince us that nothing bugs them. Hey, why isn’t Hollywood calling? I’m funny enough to write sitcoms.
“There is nothing you ought to do, for the simple reason that you know nothing, nothing whatever- make a mental note of that, if you please.”
-V. Nabokov
