Opinions/heated debate

[gustavofring]

is anyone else sick of people's heated debating and strong opinions? Especially on the internet which is inconsequential/anomynous.

What it boils down to each and every time is people attacking or going in defense mode when someone doesn't have the same opinion as theirs. Different opinion apparently makes someone a lesser and inferior human being these days.

I should probably quit going to internet websites where nasty people flock. I sometimes visit forums and discussion boards on the news or things of my interest (like politics, or movies, tv shows) and the judgementalness, mudthrowing and antagonizing stresses me out each time. I wonder if all the frustration that flows to the surface is in any way representative of real life. I don't think so personally.

I should probably stop taking it seriously, or stop going there.

In real life I also can't really stand and avoid overly opinionated people who disagree with everything you do or say. It makes me timid as hell!

 

[gustavofring]

BTW I'm not talking about this forum, because people are nice and considerate to each other here in general.

 

[BlackPuma]

I totally get your frustration. I can be pretty opinionated at times, but it's one thing to air an opinion, it's a complete other to try discredit the opinions of someone else.

I also don't like how many people debate as though it's a game. The first one that can't think up a argument fast enough loses. That's a ridicules premise (in my opinion, hehe). Rather I'd like to see all aspects of a thing/issue uncovered and based on that, come to a resolve.

People take their- and other people's- opinions far too personal. Many use them as defensive weapons rather then intellectual enrichment. I'd love to see that turn around. People discussing/sharing rather then debating/fighting. It won't happen, but one can dream~ ;3

 

[Section_31]

i get amused at the amount of energy people expend on silly things...fighting on the internet is pointless!

 

[Lea]

There is nothing wrong in protecting your point of view - in protecting good values, justice etc. and not let them to be trampled down and torn apart by a bunch of idiots. There are people who avoid all confrontation and don´t protect anything, but their own skin, which seems to me a bit cowardly and egoistic.

There are people though who seem to enjoy debating as a game and seem to love throwing dirt on each another, who don´t care that much about protecting values as much as like to win and gain upper hand over their opponent.

I don´t like arguing with people on internet myself though, sometimes I can´t help but say something but usually debating w. people on internet is a loss of time because there will always be idiots and your opinions won´t change them or their views anyway..
Since there is internet and I come to read some internet forums, I found it is usually getting me down unnecessarily, and what for.. It´s better to read some nice book which uplifts your spirit, much better than the sewage of public forums.. This one is not so bad though..

 

[this_portrait]

Sometimes I wish people could just agree to disagree, especially when it comes to politics and religion.

 

[twiggle]

especially when it comes to politics and religion.

Yes, these two in particular.

I don't mind debates, even if they're a little heated - when done without resorting to insults and trolling they can be a useful way to encourage open-mindedness. A difference of opinion will at the very least (provided people aren't too stubborn) encourage thought. People can teach us things. There are times on this forum when I will see my own views challenged, or see the views of another explained, and sometimes it will help me adapt my opinion to one with more insight, and one that is less one-sided.

What I do mind though is when people try to start flame-wars by saying something that they know will provoke controversy. YouTube and the vitriol amongst many of the comments there is one of the worst offenders for this.

 

[coyote]

i feel very badly for anyone who has appointed themselves the supreme and final moral authority for the planet - it must be very challenging for someone to sit in judgment of all 7 billion people on earth and hold them each accountable for not living up to his/her personal values, beliefs, and expectations (wherever those may have come from)

i certainly wouldn't want that job

 

[Nanita]

Yeah the strong debating and even arguing, makes me nervous and annoyed.
I sometimes find myself debating, and I really get annoyed with people who have another opinion. I never start arguing or use harsh words, though. But when I get caught up in a discussion, I realize that it´s pointless.
I speak my mind, if I feel the need to, but really what´s the point in arguing...... Getting angry because people have another opinion = madness, and it´s the root of war.

 

[Nathália]

This was one of the first things I thought about this morning when I woke up. I was thinking about the infamous YouTube and outrageous websites where people belittle other especially the people in the less than half opinion group. Wondering if a person with a particular view, would be singled out in reality? Would a person be an "idiot" because they don't share the same morals as everyone else.

Names are thrown around so easily, because people tend to be passionate about what they think can make a difference or what they feel is truth. Over time my beliefs have drifted, I've believed in all sorts of things and thought that the world needed to open their eyes to certain ideas. Coyote, I agree, but I wouldn't say it that way, I think it's relative as well.

 

[coyote]

Coyote, I agree, but I wouldn't say it that way, I think it's relative as well.

yeah, some of my relatives are the worst

 

[this_portrait]

I'd like to put some of the radical left-wingers I went to college with and some of the radical right-wingers I went to high school with in a room and just let 'em argue back and forth. Judging by what they post on Facebook, I can imagine how quickly it would boil down to just insults and name-calling.

 

[KiaKaha]

i feel very badly for anyone who has appointed themselves the supreme and final moral authority for the planet - it must be very challenging for someone to sit in judgment of all 7 billion people on earth and hold them each accountable for not living up to his/her personal values, beliefs, and expectations (wherever those may have come from)

i certainly wouldn't want that job

The thing is though that is exactly what we do though - we appoint people to to make judgements about how we live our lives and the rules that we adhere to. You can see it on a macro and micro level in nearly all facets of society.
Who is to say what is right and why should anyone agree with any rule that is upheld - despite the fear of punishment. On the flip side - if there was no structure or commonality between our expectations and beliefs - nothing would get done. We all need each other to survive - no one is self sufficient.

I think an interesting question is - who makes the ultimate judgement of the rules we are supposed to abide by? and what makes them so right?

I think politics and religion are the *best* topics to talk about - especially politics.

 

[Hellhound]

I don't mind debate. It bothers me only when it turns into flame war.

 

[Lea]

i feel very badly for anyone who has appointed themselves the supreme and final moral authority for the planet - it must be very challenging for someone to sit in judgment of all 7 billion people on earth and hold them each accountable for not living up to his/her personal values, beliefs, and expectations (wherever those may have come from)

i certainly wouldn't want that job

Is killing and cruelty just a relative value/ a matter of opinion?? That means, if for someone it is not that bad or enjoyable, then it is not that bad or enjoyable? Come on It seems to me that today some people exchaggerate their benevolence and non-judgmentallness to an absurd point, till it is almost hypocritical. It is not bad to be reasonably judgmental, I´d rather say it´s normal and healthy. But today everyone SHUNS to be viewed as judgmental, because it is widely perceived as the worst offence and crime. But it is not, a crime is rather backing up and protecting badness. It is no sainthood when people have no opinions, when they don´t distinguish bad from good. When they just go haha hihi, it´s okay at everything. It is only weakness and ignorance.

 

[MikeyC]

If there's heated debate about a topic, I usually leave the conversation. I don't care enough and don't want to yell my opinion, which would just get shot down, anyway.

 

[Invisibleman]

If there's heated debate about a topic, I usually leave the conversation. I don't care enough and don't want to yell my opinion, which would just get shot down, anyway.

Same. Most of the time I leave because frankly I dont give 2 flying f**ks.

 

[coyote]

it's also frustrating when you say one thing, and other people respond having postulated it out to the nth degree in their head to mean something totally different based on their own past experience and relative opinion rather than just taking your comments on their own face value

like when someone walks into my store, and i greet them with a friendly, "hello, how are you today?"

and they respond, "no thanks, i'm just looking!"

people often hear what they want in order to argue their point, regardless of what you may have really said

 

[Nathália]

Is killing and cruelty just a relative value/ a matter of opinion?? That means, if for someone it is not that bad or enjoyable, then it is not that bad or enjoyable? Come on It seems to me that today some people exchaggerate their benevolence and non-judgmentallness to an absurd point, till it is almost hypocritical. It is not bad to be reasonably judgmental, I´d rather say it´s normal and healthy. But today everyone SHUNS to be viewed as judgmental, because it is widely perceived as the worst offence and crime. But it is not, a crime is rather backing up and protecting badness. It is no sainthood when people have no opinions, when they don´t distinguish bad from good. When they just go haha hihi, it´s okay at everything. It is only weakness and ignorance.

Things that are universal do not just apply to the majority and what we think is wrong, there are people that violate the norm because they have their own rules of morality. I think killing and cruelty is wrong, but I disagree that it is universal because what is right/wrong can depend on to certain people.

People can judge, judging is having an opinion, but people can also look at the objective. It is okay to have subjective opinions, we're full of emotions, it's how we think and make sense of the world that we are in. To reach a point of being absolutely non judgmental is impossible and out of human nature. It's a survival technique.

I think it's just acknowledging that there are ways outside of our own.

 

[Hoppy]

I never argue, since I am always right.