NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm honestly curious as to whether people in the forum are capable of holding an intelligent converstation about any political, religious, or social issue. Everything usually goes fine for the first three posts on the thread, then everyone just starts flame warring over stupid shit.

Paganism, Christianity, Homosexuality, the war in Iraq, the UN policies currently affecting us... All of it degrades rapidly into "You're just a softy liberal!" "Well, you're just a prehistoric Conservative!" "You are a moronic Christian!" "You're a Atheist/Pagan who will burn in Hell!"

Is it possible to have a single conversation about any socio-political or religious issue without breaking down into useless rants about how everyone who doesn't agree with you obviously must be a Liberal/Conservative/Democrat/Republican/Atheist/Christian Fundamentalist/Group of Your disliking?

I'm just curious, is all.

evidently, no.

It's possible. Just not probable. Esspecially not here.

I'm not even sure it's possible as I've been on NS for almost a year and I have yet to see a single political/religious/social thread that has continued intelligently, with out using the slue of aforementioned words... If it were possible, you'd think that at least one per year would occur.

okay, i concede

Theoretically it's possible, but in reality? I don't think so.

Everything but religion, you have satanists and christians in the same room, they're not going to get along. In fact i'll give a logical example-- It is impossible to have Light and complete darkness in the same space.

I could do it but everyone else is just so wrong!! Ha.

All you need to do,
Is to write everything
in haiku. Like this.

That's why it's so much easier when it's a dictatorship, with me as the dictator!

:D

I sympathize, as I'm pretty much a centrist which these days makes me an unwilling contrarian.

Satanists and Christians don't have to get along, but why do they insist on informing each other of the fact that they believe different things? it seems a little redundant to abandon a real argument where you can hurt real feelings in favor of brandishing self-proclaimed titles around that, chances are, the other person already calls themselves.

Nope, you're all wrong, and you're gonna burn in hell for it...

I think there are a few people here who can make a reasoned debate, but they're in the minority and not as outspoken as everyone else - seeing as who they take longer to write their post and thus seem to post less. Plus a lot of people seem to ignore anyone who argues cohorrently as it's just to easy to pick holes in the arguement of those less skilled at putting together an arguement.

I think your question is a bit vague. Are you asking if a conversation can be totally FREE of such flames, partisanship, or closed-minded slogan chanting? Or can the conversation be productive or insightful at all, even with such distractions?

If you are asking if we could, on this forum, be free of the majority of useless posts; I tell you no. Its technically possible, but it usually requires a topic so utterly boring that only a few dedicated policy buffs even care to read it. Such threads won't last long/make an impression.

As for the second, I say yes! A thousand times yes! Such discussions, debates and conversations are the very reason I continue to tool around on this forum. I can think of few better venues for such discussions and I'm happy that this forum exists. We can take a little spam with our ittellectual main course right?

Yeah, there's a TREMENDOUS amount of spam, hating, and disheartening people on this board. But the same goes for the internet, and humanity at large. I don't let that little fact get in the way of the many people who ARE capable of insight.

I think your question is a bit vague. Are you asking if a conversation can be totally FREE of such flames, partisanship, or closed-minded slogan chanting? Or can the conversation be productive or insightful at all, even with such distractions?

If you are asking if we could, on this forum, be free of the majority of useless posts; I tell you no. Its technically possible, but it usually requires a topic so utterly boring that only a few dedicated policy buffs even care to read it. Such threads won't last long/make an impression.

As for the second, I say yes! A thousand times yes! Such discussions, debates and conversations are the very reason I continue to tool around on this forum. I can think of few better venues for such discussions and I'm happy that this forum exists. We can take a little spam with our ittellectual main course right?

Yeah, there's a TREMENDOUS amount of spam, hating, and disheartening people on this board. But the same goes for the internet, and humanity at large. I don't let that little fact get in the way of the many people who ARE capable of insight.
Seconded, you really need to learn to seperate the wheat from the chaff. It's where you get to put your critical reading skills to the test. Eventually you learn a little short hand-what posters are one trick ponies, style clues (internet short hand, people describing their actions in the middle of the debate, large font, silly colors, the dreaded and assinine eyeroll smiley, etc...)

There are jerks and idiots everywhere but in the middle of all of it actual discussion takes place.

(not to imply I have a magic devining rod to all of this, your criteria will fit to tastes. But if you think it's not happening you've let your cynicism run ripshod and you're not looking hard enough.)

Yep, plenty of mindless blather and rants on lots of threads, but the issues of politics, religion, and social values/problems/inequities/etc usually bring out the flamer in people. These are the hot button subjects that start wars for crying out loud. So should we really expect any less than poeple to devolve into "no, I'm right and your wrong, stupidhead" when we don't get much better than this from our leaders and the so-called great thinkers of the age?

I also agree with Niccolo that there have been a number of well written and highly intelligent thread arguements that didn't devolve into name calling. Then there are the threads that you just know are going to be filled with one flaming post after another. The next-to-bottom line is, first, bring what you bring to the debate and the hell with the rest of the thread posters and, second, you always have the option of staying out of the forums if you really don't like what you are seeing. And the true-bottom line is just have fun with it. If you aren't having fun here then why keep coming back? It's not like your getting paid to surf the forums, are you? Boy, now that'd be a sweet job!

I think your question is a bit vague. Are you asking if a conversation can be totally FREE of such flames, partisanship, or closed-minded slogan chanting? Or can the conversation be productive or insightful at all, even with such distractions?

If you are asking if we could, on this forum, be free of the majority of useless posts; I tell you no. Its technically possible, but it usually requires a topic so utterly boring that only a few dedicated policy buffs even care to read it. Such threads won't last long/make an impression.

As for the second, I say yes! A thousand times yes! Such discussions, debates and conversations are the very reason I continue to tool around on this forum. I can think of few better venues for such discussions and I'm happy that this forum exists. We can take a little spam with our ittellectual main course right?

Yeah, there's a TREMENDOUS amount of spam, hating, and disheartening people on this board. But the same goes for the internet, and humanity at large. I don't let that little fact get in the way of the many people who ARE capable of insight.


And thirded. It is annoying to have to page past unlimited amounts of pointless posts to follow the real discussions, but it is often worth it.

And thirded. It is annoying to have to page past unlimited amounts of pointless posts to follow the real discussions, but it is often worth it.
And fourthed

My question worded more specifically: why is it that the content intelligent posts are often ignored whilst the people doing the ignoring resort to calling them [insert political/religious group], which (i have noticed) often ends up with the person who made the intelligent post to begin with resorting to the same for at least a few posts?

I enjoy the political discourse in the forums here, but it gets really time consuming to sift through 800 posts on one topic, going page after page to try and figure out if there is anything on said page other than "I hate you, [Insert Group] scum!"

When I first joined NS, I read the forums at least two or three times a day. I just don't have the kind of time to do that anymore if I have to wade through 200 junk posts per 2 insightful/intelligent posts, and I kind of miss being able to do it.

Maybe the admins could set up a section of the forum where any post that says nothing at all but "I hate you and you suck" would be deleted. I'd gladly mod such a forum area.

The lovely haiku
Spiritual enlightenment
No flames are needed.

No, and it's entirely the fault of athiest, liberal Democrats. :D

No.

I'm honestly curious as to whether people in the forum are capable of holding an intelligent converstation about any political, religious, or social issue.

I do it all the time. I'm very good at ignoring flamers/trolls.

(internet short hand, people describing their actions in the middle of the debate, large font, silly colors, the dreaded and assinine eyeroll smiley, etc...)

:rolleyes: *says*:WTF? :rolleyes:




Joking!

No, and it's entirely the fault of athiest, liberal Democrats. :D


nu-uh

Depends on the debaters and how good they are at suppressing the urge to flame and presenting their arguements in a cool rational manner.

East Canuck and I had a bit of a debate on http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7829906&postcount=124

Thread title: Everything is Unfair to the US. Now is that an invitation to flaming or what?

We didnt go on for too too many posts, but the posts were extreemly long and the arguements were actually thought about by both sides.

I admitted when I thought he had a point, he did the same for me. In the end we had to agree to disagree on some issues but, ( I think I can say this with a great deal of confidence ) we both enjoyed the debate and I know I look forward to further discussions with East Canuck

btw, East Canuck is a Very liberal Canadian and I am a Red Necked Good Ole Southern Boy. Talk about Diametricly opposed viewpoints.

So yes Virginia, it is possible to have a rational calm and remarkably flame free debate. You just have to ignore the flammers and find the reasoned and polite posts and respond to them.

Respectfully

AAhhzz

*Oh and a few :) help people know when you are disagreeing with them it isnt PERSONAL*