# Your reasons for debating on SDMB: A Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641 "2005-07-08T19:33:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641/41 "2005-07-10T14:12:12Z")
1. Frequently. 2. Frequently. Why? Some of the choices listed, of course, but primarily because I can read posts from other people who can recognize words like “primarily” and use them properly in a sentence. Too much of the internet is filled with people for whom “Yer stoopid lol” is the pinnacle of their level of discourse. This board is a refreshing island of intelligence in a sea of banality. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641/42 "2005-07-11T02:27:52Z")
1. seldom - last post must be 2 weeks ago 2. seldom 3. D, F, I - just not thinking things through in terms of how best to spend my time ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641/43 "2005-07-11T03:36:53Z")
1. Seldom 2. Frequently 3. A bit of b,c,f, & g. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641/44 "2005-07-11T04:44:16Z")
1. How much do you participate in Great Debate threads? **Frequently** 2. How much do you read GD threads? **Frequently** 3. WHY do you engage in debate on this board? a. To have a contest that I can try to win (as in a high-school debating team). \*\*Somewhat. The people here are good and smart, and debating with them is good mental exercise. I do my best to thrust and parry, but I do try to play fair, always being honest about my position and recognizing the good points of my opponents. I don’t expect to “win,” however. b. To fight ignorance by showing my opponents why they are wrong and why I am right. **Only rarely, when someone has a barbaric view like the recently trounced sock. But others usually get to 'em first.** c. To attempt to change other people’s minds to my way of thinking. **Only rarely is this possible, and I don’t expect it.** d. To force myself to improve my own arguments for my positions, and keep them free of common logical fallacies. **I don’t think I commit gross fallacies, but I do try to improve my arguments.** e. To engourage my opponents to frame their arguments in the best possible way, free of logical fallacies. **No.** f. To attempt to better understand the merit of my opponent’s strongest arguments, even if I disagree with their inevitable conclusions. **Yes.** g. To try to make my opponents understand my point of view, even if I know they will not come around to my way of thinking. **In the sense that I want to improve the clarity of my message, yes.** h. Because it’s something to do during work hours, and it’s more interesting than my job. **Used to be true, now that I’m self-employed it serves as a break and self-motivator (if I get this done, I can read/post/etc.)** i. OTHER. (Please explain). \*\*\*Information: Lots of current events being debated. _MENTAL MASTURBATION._\* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-reasons-for-debating-on-sdmb-a-poll/311641.md?page=2)