Why do people enjoy arguing...

[Random Variable]

when they know that 99.9-percent of the time they will not persuade their opponent (or opponents) that their viewpoint is correct? Is it all about that one-tenth of one percent? And why do the most vicious arguments on ATOT erupt when someone makes a patently ignorant statement? Doesn't it make more sense to ignore that person than to start an argument with him or her? You will never win an argument with someone who is truly ignorant.

Thank you.

 

[MajesticMoose]

Proving someone wrong, or even just trying to, is a form of showing dominance/superiority. Who doesn't like being better than everone else?

m00se

 

[axelfox]

Big whoop. You wanna fight about it?

 

[NogginBoink]

What! 99.9 percent of the time? Your viewpoint here is not correct! That's a patently ignorant statement.

 

[Hammer]

I don't know, I guess I just love conflict.

 

[Random Variable]

<< What! 99.9 percent of the time? Your viewpoint here is not correct! That's a patently ignorant statement. >>


There are hundreds of arguments on here everyday, and rarely does anyone's viewpoint change.

 

[Eli]

Well.. people like to say what they believe..

There's a fine line between an argument and a discussion, though. There are a lot of good discussions here.

 

[Czar]

<< Proving someone wrong, or even just trying to, is a form of showing dominance/superiority. Who doesn't like being better than everone else?

m00se >>



what he said

 

[MichaelD]

Well there is ARGUING, and there is DEBATE. Arguement has few rules and fewer manners. Debate is a "gentleman's arguement." I was on a debate team, many years back. During the competitions, they'd give you a day's notice about what the topic of debate is, and they'd tell you what side, pro or con you were on and you had to research your arguement in order to support your pro or con stance.

Too much work for me these days....

Granted, here on ATOT, most of the stuff that is "discussed" is very gut-reaction, shoot-from-the-hip type stuff that will elict immediate responses from those the subject touches, but a good debate is very worthwhile.

One of the first rules of debate; if you are in over your head, bow out gracefully before someone with the real facts makes an ass out of you.

BTW, I gotta go now.

 

[Random Variable]

<< Well.. people like to say what they believe..

There's a fine line between an argument and a discussion, though. There are a lot of good discussions here. >>


An argument does necessarily imply putting anyone down. But I think you already know that.

 

[Random Variable]

<< Arguement has few rules and fewer manners. >>


I took a class on writing arguments.

 

[Bluga]

i thought it's your favorite past time

 

[Ornery]

I don't know about everybody else, but my goal is to be proven wrong. I like to think I have an open mind. I'll listen to all arguments, but eventually you have to settle on one position. From then on, you argue that point till proven wrong. You can imagine how, over the years, you're gonna get pretty well settled into a certain point of view, that's been honed over time. It's going to take a hell of a lot of convincing to shake several years or decades of espousing that point of view, but I'm always game. Believe it or not, I've changed my mind here and there, though it has been quite a while since that's happened!


Edit: Hmmm, I notice that I change from first person to second person in the third sentence. Kinda poor, eh? Should I work on that kind of stuff? Does it bug anybody here when people do that?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< You will never win an argument with someone who is truly ignorant >>

You will never win an argument with someone who is truly inteligent either.

nik ()

 

[Red Dawn]

FFMCorndog

<< You will never win an argument with someone who is truly inteligent either. >>

You'll also never win an argument with someone as mentally deranged of Nik.

 

[Random Variable]

<< I don't know about everybody else, but my goal is to be proven wrong. I like to think I have an open mind. I'll listen to all arguments, but eventually you have to settle on one position. >>


That's very commendable (if it's true ). I don't think that are many people like you (myself included ).

 

[UberNeuman]

Flaming is fun....

 

What's the fun if everyone agrees?

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I hate it. It pisses me off so much. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it. I am a real man, even though I go to strip clubs. LOL

All I've done at work today was argue with people about stuff. One guy got up in my face and said I was lying. When I showed him proof backing up my statement he said that my source was bias and that it was wrong. He was asking about an HP laptop and I showed him the HP webpage.


My problem is there are sooo many people that just can't admit that they are wrong.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I hate it. It pisses me off so much. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it. I am a real man, even though I go to strip clubs. LOL

All I've done at work today was argue with people about stuff. One guy got up in my face and said I was lying. When I showed him proof backing up my statement he said that my source was bias and that it was wrong.

 

[jpsj82]

because its fun.

anyone want to tell me i should have used " it's " above.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< FFMCorndog

<< You will never win an argument with someone who is truly inteligent either. >>

You'll also never win an argument with someone as mentally deranged of Nik. >>

Aw, Red, you disappoint me

I prefer Whack Job



nik

 

[tops2]

<because its fun>

its fun..until people start to take it too personal...
we all know how that goes...
;-)

 

[Random Variable]

<< What's the fun if everyone agrees? >>


I am not implying that everyone should agree on everything.

 

[Russ]

<< I don't know about everybody else, but my goal is to be proven wrong. >>



Not possible, Ornery. You are always right.

Russ, NCNE