discussions - aka shitstorms

damian brought up a good point in another thread about how discussions often seem to stall out when people disagree. insteading of questions and then answers, often we see people avoid answering the question directly or just ignore it outright. why? does it not make sense that if you're willing to make a claim that you're willing to support it or are at least able to? do people just quit because they don't have an answer and can't be bothered to look for one or is it more that it might be shown their position is not entirely accurate and they don't want to take responsibility for that? whatever the reason it's ridiculous when people won't back up what they say or refuse to deal with reasonable challenges to their viewpoints.

You are looking for logic and reason on an internet forum?

Wanna buy a nice second hand bridge? Cheeeeepppp!

take with mound of salt
Probably because anytime that people have "altering opinions" it turns into a flame-war/argument.
Speaking from experience of course, on this very forum - as soon as your opinion is different, you may as well be Hitler.
"reasonable challenges to their viewpoints" - Like making fun of someone for having friends who have been stabbed to death, telling people they "don't know shit" about a given subject simply because they don't live or hang out in a area, yet still have a fairly rounded out knowledge of social trends…
Here's a "reasonable challenge to your viewpoint" (I use reasonable here because it's certainly reasonable given our previous interactions).
Maybe you are just coming to the realization that you're an asshole and people don't want to have "discussions" with you when you are a prick to them and can't speak to them without belittling them/their opinion.
Just a thought.
(oh and this applies to a few others as well).

It's all about hypocrisy.

Not just this, but threads turn into personal blogs.

damian brought up a good point in another thread about how discussions often seem to stall out when people disagree. insteading of questions and then answers, often we see people avoid answering the question directly or just ignore it outright. why? does it not make sense that if you're willing to make a claim that you're willing to support it or are at least able to? do people just quit because they don't have an answer and can't be bothered to look for one or is it more that it might be shown their position is not entirely accurate and they don't want to take responsibility for that? whatever the reason it's ridiculous when people won't back up what they say or refuse to deal with reasonable challenges to their viewpoints.

I think the answers vary. Sometimes people are talking out of their ass and they know it, so the just retreat or change the subject. Other times people throw out an opinion but the ensuing dog pile is just too much to bother with. People also tend to get overly involved in their argument and become either aggressive or emo or both.

It's just the interwebz kids.

EDIT… another thought. We are all guilty as well of being too predictable. Sometimes it is better to take a step back, look at what was actually said, and see if there is some common ground instead of going on a flame offensive.

I think as well, some people don't bother backing themselves up because they know that many times, there is no right or wrong when it comes to a personal opinion and "backing it up" is something some people want, simply so they have another post in a thread to pick apart and argue about and as far as straight up "ignoring" the things some people may say, it's my opinion, that sometimes some peoples words are not worth the keystrokes it requires to respond.
Also, text easily gets misinterpreted and shit…
If you want a real, intellectually stimulating debate or discussion, make some friends in real life who enjoy that sort of thing, its better that way, I think.

whatever the reason it's ridiculous when people won't back up what they say or refuse to deal with reasonable challenges to their viewpoints.

This attitude is precisely why I don't really post much on the BB anymore. If one posts an opinion up on the BB, they're expected to take hours out of their day, literally hours, in a circular conversation with a person or people who simply have a hard-on for making someone capitulate to stroke their own ego.

I don't really have an issue with the people who say 'agree to disagree' (verbally or non-verbally just by leaving the conversation) and bow out, I take issue with the people who have far too much time on their hands and low enough self esteem that 'winning' an argument on the internet is worth that much of their time and effort.

Pretty simple, you lot are always fucking wrong and I am always right.

You want data? This graph proves it.

This attitude is precisely why I don't really post much on the BB anymore. If one posts an opinion up on the BB, they're expected to take hours out of their day, literally hours, in a circular conversation with a person or people who simply have a hard-on for making someone capitulate to stroke their own ego.

I don't really have an issue with the people who say 'agree to disagree' (verbally or non-verbally just by leaving the conversation) and bow out, I take issue with the people who have far too much time on their hands and low enough self esteem that 'winning' an argument on the internet is worth that much of their time and effort.

Most of my posts are just quick jabs. Sure i post a lot but I don't spend a lot of time doing it. Doesn't add anything to my life. Sometimes I'll learn a thing or two

Monty Python.

People who disagree with someone's opinion on these BBs often come across as disrespectful, ignorant, or just downright rude. I won't waste a second of my time responding to these types of ass-hats. A well-reasoned, thoughtful, and respectful disagreement will get a response every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjMkqFmRGL4

Yeah, I'm not a fan of shitstorms. A good ol fashion shitshow on the other hand? Sign me up.

take with mound of salt
Probably because anytime that people have "altering opinions" it turns into a flame-war/argument.
Speaking from experience of course, on this very forum - as soon as your opinion is different, you may as well be Hitler.
"reasonable challenges to their viewpoints" - Like making fun of someone for having friends who have been stabbed to death, telling people they "don't know shit" about a given subject simply because they don't live or hang out in a area, yet still have a fairly rounded out knowledge of social trends…
Here's a "reasonable challenge to your viewpoint" (I use reasonable here because it's certainly reasonable given our previous interactions).
Maybe you are just coming to the realization that you're an asshole and people don't want to have "discussions" with you when you are a prick to them and can't speak to them without belittling them/their opinion.
Just a thought.
(oh and this applies to a few others as well).

salt taken

so besides a factual error there i can only re-iterate again that owned my mistake and apologized for it. who knows, maybe that's part what i was thinking about in the op. many of us make mistakes here (and yes i've made my fair share) but what is it that keeps people from owning up or taking repsonsibility when those mistakes get called out?

as for your question the simple answer is no, i'm not coming to a realization that i'm an asshole as i don't consider myself one. i do realize i act like a dink sometimes, but that doesn't make me full on asshole. and fyi this wasn't a question about discussions with me personally, but in general between many people here on the board.

anyways, i hope you had fun with that.