Forums: The Debate

[Obdurate]

One simple question to start it off: Are we wasting our time here?

[BlueEew]

Wasting time on forums? Impossible. Forums are good ways to have proper discussions online without risking to loose any personal information. Unlike on chat rooms, and various other networkings.

Personal details are often needed. Forums do not require such a thing.

[Obdurate]

Right. The potential for forums is amazing, however, I would ask... are you actually having beneficial discussions on forums? Even here, often times, our debates consist of clear cut sides battling it out and nothing changes. Very rarely does a side change their point of view. It's merely a battle of intelligence.

Anybody disagree with that?

[gillibean]

It's not always merely a battle of intelligence. Debates change peoples minds all the time, especially when they are on a person to person level. Even if nothing changes, it makes people think about why they do the things they do.


Besides arguing is fun!!

[Ich_Bin_Butler]

Nah, it isn't a waste of time. I've learned a lot through PTF and various forums that I probably wouldn't have heard about elsewhere. Our debates do tend to be fun a lot of the time, especially when I think I'm right rather than clutching at straws as a last defense for my own side against Obdurate. Some of them, namely any of them that are religiously based, we never make progress but we do get to hear many points of view.

Then there's stuff here like...current events/news of the day, that kind of stuff. There's also discussions about books and movies and crap.

You may say anything is a waste of time unless it furthers you in becoming successful. " as going around to talk about having a "life" as going around people's houses, talking about the latest asshole teachers and texting each other, and forums are a waste of time because if you go on one, you have no life. I'm pretty sure I'm still living, but what the hell? How would a dead guy know he's dead? He'd be dead!

[Hatchet]

Originally Posted by gillibean

Even if nothing changes, it makes people think about why they do the things they do.

I agree with that. I at least hope that people take that away from a debate.

[Danger]

Originally Posted by Hatchet

I agree with that. I at least hope that people take that away from a debate.

Save for a few of us here, a lot of people don't recognize that.

[Obdurate]

Yeah I really think it'd be giving the net or even this forum a lil too much credit. I'm in the same boat though.

[BlueEew]

Originally Posted by Ich_Bin_Butler

Nah, it isn't a waste of time. I've learned a lot through PTF and various forums that I probably wouldn't have heard about elsewhere. Our debates do tend to be fun a lot of the time, especially when I think I'm right rather than clutching at straws as a last defense for my own side against Obdurate. Some of them, namely any of them that are religiously based, we never make progress but we do get to hear many points of view.

Then there's stuff here like...current events/news of the day, that kind of stuff. There's also discussions about books and movies and crap.

You may say anything is a waste of time unless it furthers you in becoming successful. " as going around to talk about having a "life" as going around people's houses, talking about the latest asshole teachers and texting each other, and forums are a waste of time because if you go on one, you have no life. I'm pretty sure I'm still living, but what the hell? How would a dead guy know he's dead? He'd be dead!

I agree with the learning statement. Basically I have learned more information and skills online by being active on forums rather then when I was going to school. School should be a forum. That was we would actually learn something.

[knoxbox]

it is a time killer for me I'll admit that... debates are fun, but tis true on this forum it does become an intellectual batter of wits... most people state their opinion and leave it at that, maybe a little back and forth but yet again no one surrenders their side to the other... very few if any are changed... the thing i get from it though is knowing the other side... thats half the battle, and being open minded to others views. lot of times i find myself torn on a subject... i end up playing devils advocate in my own mind. i see your point ob... and i also see gillibeans.