Have you ever admitted defeat or had your mind changed in a somewhat large internet argument?

[thecrecarc]

From .999999.... equalling one to religion, have you ever actually been converted? I highly doubt these arguments are effective at all. It seems these arguments convince basically noone, and is merely a diversion of time.

If you were convinced of the other side in a internet argument, what was it on? What convinced you? And if on AT, whom?

 

[sandorski]

many times

 

[frostedflakes]

It does happen, not everybody is so closed-minded. For example, I used to be kind of anti-gun until members on this forum educated me on the issue.

I tend to be on the fence with a lot of stuff, because both sides of the issue usually make a lot of sense to me.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I have, and I've seen other people do it as well.

Think about it like this. I like winning arguments. If I can't find a way to trounce a particular argument I MUST adopt it or some position compatible with it and make it my own to avoid being clubbed over the head with it again. That means that I MUST change my mind in response to being beaten in a debate rather than just forgetting about it. Remembering all the times I've been bested may not be pleasant, but changing my mind in response assures that I end up with the most unassailable opinions on virtually any topic that I have been exposed to. This causes me to win more arguments in the future and assert the dominance of my superior mind and genetics over all others. This approach, while centered entirely on the wrong thing, still has the benefit of zeroing me in over time on the most likely accurate answer to any given debatable question.

 

[sourceninja]

I have personally had my opinions changed due to conversations on the internet.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I've become more open to other ideas, and also have learned many more arguements for or against whatever the subject is. It's helped me to have counters to different stances. My personal views I think have been modified and/or "evolved" from online debates. I'm sure mine have been changed though before.

 

[DrPizza]

Yes.

One example: I firmly believed that the ISPs were serious that they needed to cap bandwidth, or else the tubes were going to fill up! Oh noooes! Then, I started seeing real statistics in threads - how the costs for the amount of bandwidth were going down, yet cable companies were raising their rates AND dropping allowable bandwidths. And statistics to show that "the tubes" weren't going to be filled. Completely reversed my stance on that issue.

 

[drum]

I double dog dare you to post this thread in P&N

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I was anti-gay when I first signed up to AT. I am now an outspoken gay rights proponent and I can honestly say AT played a large part in forming that opinion. I'd consider that a pretty major victory.

 

[Kelemvor]

Yeah on the airplane / treadmill thing.

I was naive and unintelligent when I first thought it wouldn't take off. But then after researching it and using a little common sense, I realized the error of my ways.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
It does happen, not everybody is so closed-minded. For example, I used to be kind of anti-gun until members on this forum educated me on the issue.

I tend to be on the fence with a lot of stuff, because both sides of the issue usually make a lot of sense to me.

Ah yeah, me too with the anti-gun thing. I'm still happy that I live in a country with strict gun control but I no longer believe that this is the solution for USA. Pro-gun proponents on this board make many excellent points.

 

[nageov3t]

my views on gun control have moderated a lot thanks to internet arguments.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
From .999999.... equalling one to religion, have you ever actually been converted? I highly doubt these arguments are effective at all. It seems these arguments convince basically noone, and is merely a diversion of time.

If you were convinced of the other side in a internet argument, what was it on? What convinced you? And if on AT, whom?

Wrong.

 

[Blackjack200]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
Yeah on the airplane / treadmill thing.

I was naive and unintelligent when I first thought it wouldn't take off. But then after researching it and using a little common sense, I realized the error of my ways.

I was going to say the same thing. I initially thought it wouldn't take off, but the board changed my mind long before mythbusters proved it.

 

[alkemyst]

Has to do if one is just trolling every thread like many do here or are really debating an issue.

I have admitted where I have been wrong a few times here and also do just try to play devil's advocate on each issue esp one's I have no clue on.

 

[her209]

I didn't think alternator-size beef was bulk.

 

[MattCo]

On some issues, my mind might not have been completely converted to the other side, but instead my concrete views have eroded some to become more moderate. Rarely do I change my viewpoint immediately, instead I occasionally look back to earlier times and see that my opinions have migrated.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Not on a large scale like that, but little tiffles I have.

It happens.

 

[zeruty]

I thought the plane wouldn't take off... until I read the thread for about 10 minutes and saw the light, the truth that it WOULD take off.

 

[AreaCode707]

Yes, most notably on death penalty (am now anti). It wasn't a single thread that changed my mind but a process that happened over time, with input from the forums playing a role.

 

[OCGuy]

I once thought fucking your first cousin was pretty disgusting.....but now, thanks to ATOT, I think........no it is still pretty gross and that thread is full of losers.

 

[Dumac]

Yes, I've changed my mind.

 

[mugs]

I don't generally try to change someone's opinion, but I will correct someone if they state something that is inaccurate. Whether the realization that they had the facts wrong changes their opinion, I don't really care.

 

[darkxshade]

I was convinced I am an idiot on many occasions. Then they look at my sig and ignore me.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: sandorski
many times

not many for me, but definitely more than 1. e.g. on gun control I've moved to the right a bit. I grew up in NY and live in NYC and I don't know anyone who owns a gun, so the culture here doesn't lend itself to acceptance of firearms. I simply don't see the need to own one. But to a person growing up in Texas who went hunting with dad, they see little or no reason to restrict their gun ownership. Having now interacted with sane gun owners on here, I'm definitely more accepting and less immediately judgmental on the topic.