Volconvo is a debate forum for the discussion of political, religious, and news-based topics.

gela · Mar 19, 2008, 04:30 pm

On debate forums you need the "I am right and you are wrong" attitude.. otherwise you will be walked over.

In real life.. I try to see it from their view.. but I make no promises when its something I feel strongly about.

grandpa · Mar 19, 2008, 04:35 pm

Quote:

Quote by: ren

Unless everyone thinks the same thing, it sets up a
binary opposition, the beginning of a dialectic, but without any
movement, the dialectic never moves, and society ends up polarized.
I'd say that's been one of the effects of a
media type called "talk radio," some of which devolved into
"hate radio" -- and I suppose into Fox "audio video" television,
as well, with the form of large gorilla types who
bare their teeth and scream at their guests.

I've seen serious discussions that aren't nearly so jarring, but those wouldn't likely get high ratings. Quite frequently you can't even understand what the people are saying because they yell over each other. You have to hear a specific sample to make any sense of it.

Grandpa h.

grandpa · Mar 19, 2008, 04:39 pm

Quote:

Quote by: gela

On debate forums you need the "I am right and
you are wrong" attitude..
otherwise you will be walked over.

I know what you mean. I often have people jumping on me here. I've been to worse forums, though.

One thing about O'Reilly, though -- when I agree with him on something 9which, believe it or not, happens occasionally) I don't even want to.

Grandpa h.

Walrus · Mar 21, 2008, 08:39 pm

A debate is only truly won when one has achieved an agreement.

grandpa · Mar 22, 2008, 03:49 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Walrus

A debate is only truly won when one has achieved
an agreement.

Words of wisdom.

Grandpa h.

Objectivist · Mar 24, 2008, 05:30 pm

I think that nothing is wrong with a "I am right and you are wrong" attitude as long as the person claiming they are right can objectively demonstrate their opinion.

If another person is successful in showing contradictions of an opinion or how other objective facts disprove a premise, then it is the person who is maintaining he is "right" to counter.

If one has complete conviction to what he thinks is true then there is really no reason to expect him to confront a debate thinking that his opponent's ideas are equal and just as true as his own.

What I think negatively affects society is the premise that "No one is right and no one is wrong... there is no objective truth". That sort of skepticism has negative affects on society. "Who is to say what is right or what is wrong?" leads to "I can do whatever I want".

Michael Raizer · Mar 27, 2008, 01:27 am

This belief of unyielding self-infallibility leaves one narrow minded and unreceptive to new ideas. It is this belief that I am 100% correct and no truth can exist outside of my beliefs is main culprit behind the major issues of society today such as religious extremism, racism, and just good old fashioned selfish greed. This acknowledge of only one self and the neglect of others can only result in strife.

gela · Mar 27, 2008, 02:22 am

Quote:

This belief of unyielding self-infallibility leaves one narrow minded and unreceptive to new ideas. It is this belief that I am 100% correct and no truth can exist outside of my beliefs is main culprit behind the major issues of society today such as religious extremism, racism, and just good old fashioned selfish greed. This acknowledge of only one self and the neglect of others can only result in strife.

True, but the topic of the debate is an attitude. Not a Belief.

Technosoul · Mar 27, 2008, 03:53 am

Quote:

Quote by: gela

On debate forums you need the "I am right and you are wrong" attitude.. otherwise you will be walked over.

In real life.. I try to see it from their view.. but I make no promises when its something I feel strongly about.

I would agree because if you do not trust your self, then who can you trust?

However, having such an attitude is not right and if you do not agree then you are wrong. Ha.

Mar 19, 2008, 04:30 pm	#21 (permalink) (top)
gela Vampire Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 857	On debate forums you need the "I am right and you are wrong" attitude.. otherwise you will be walked over. In real life.. I try to see it from their view.. but I make no promises when its something I feel strongly about. "A geek is a person, male or female, with an abiding, obsessive, self-effacing, even self-destroying love for something besides status." --D.B. Weiss, Lucky Wander Boy

Mar 21, 2008, 08:39 pm	#24 (permalink) (top)
Walrus Cabbages and Kings Location: England Posts: 202	A debate is only truly won when one has achieved an agreement. If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years. Bertrand Russell

Mar 24, 2008, 05:30 pm	#26 (permalink) (top)
Objectivist Immovable Location: Montana Posts: 200	I think that nothing is wrong with a "I am right and you are wrong" attitude as long as the person claiming they are right can objectively demonstrate their opinion. If another person is successful in showing contradictions of an opinion or how other objective facts disprove a premise, then it is the person who is maintaining he is "right" to counter. If one has complete conviction to what he thinks is true then there is really no reason to expect him to confront a debate thinking that his opponent's ideas are equal and just as true as his own. What I think negatively affects society is the premise that "No one is right and no one is wrong... there is no objective truth". That sort of skepticism has negative affects on society. "Who is to say what is right or what is wrong?" leads to "I can do whatever I want". "Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and of greatness should be waiting for us in our graves. . .or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth." From Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Mar 27, 2008, 01:27 am	#27 (permalink) (top)
Michael Raizer Sedimentary Rock Posts: 13	This belief of unyielding self-infallibility leaves one narrow minded and unreceptive to new ideas. It is this belief that I am 100% correct and no truth can exist outside of my beliefs is main culprit behind the major issues of society today such as religious extremism, racism, and just good old fashioned selfish greed. This acknowledge of only one self and the neglect of others can only result in strife.