The magical trolls and elven beings who make lucky charms in my flower garden!

Got your attention

Hear ye! Hear ye!

All Olde Members of ATS, yes you, all ye who hide behind thy tower of points and stars!

Let's think about it: You lounge and post at leisure for many hours a day. Can't you spare a couple of brain cells and two hours a day to debate? It'll be fun, come on!


And to anyone else:

Think about it, these old members are human (and perhaps set in their ways). They haven't been tested in eons. It's time to bust some juicy lips and make a nice little debate trophey.

Test your meetle and give the debate a try! Seriously, you could win and get a new title under your name. They stopped adding them you know...

You could get your own wife beater shirt with your avatar and ATS DEBATE MASTER on it!:
see, I've already printed a 1000 copies in anticipation!

www.cafeshops.com...
no poop!

as for the debate:
See:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

deadline is today!!

First and for most, consonant-man, it is really none of your business why some one will opt to debate or not. Nor is it the other person's duty to entertain you.

Now, I can't speak for anybody else but I can tell you why I won't be.

For the same reason I'm not a trial lawyer. I have no desire to argue 1.) a random topic I may very well have no interest in, on 2.) a side of that topic that I may not even believe in.

I didn't take debate in high school for the same reason. Not interested.

I have no problem discussing, outright argueing, a position on a topic that I feel passionate about.

If you are interested in honing your ability to fake sincerity, by all means, go debate. But don't try to manipulate others who have no desire to possess that quality to join in.

I'll watch.

ktpr

Excellent work. Truly excellent.

MA,

I'd have to agree with you.

Looks like it worked out just the way he wanted it.

Originally posted by Valhall
MA,

I'd have to agree with you.

Looks like it worked out just the way he wanted it.

I don't know ktpr.

I meant his program to publicize the debate (the whole thing, including his handbills) is good work.

However, you would still enjoy entering, in my opinion, even though your excuse is far better than mine.

ktpr

ATS DEBATE MASTER ???

Glad you haven't made that as a reference to what you would call this thing with 100 or more entries.

Well, I don't know what your excuse was, but I find it hard to believe you wouldn't entertain faking sincerity

Here's a topic:

"That Pinker's hypothesis concerning the genetic passage of socially desirable behavioral characteristics as manifested in controlled facial expressions while delivering disingenuous messages, ought to be included in any current neo-Darwinistic theory of natural selection".


* spelling fixed to preserve disingenuousness *

[Edited on 22-8-2003 by MaskedAvatar]

I like it, MA! But during the debate each side must post a live webcam shot. That way we can see if the poster who got the pro side is living up to their words!

And the other poster could be completely animated and probably a real riot...

Well, the hypothesis would have been a more useful tool in the Gore vs Bush debate series, before media scrambled the results.

I never saw those, by the way.

The "worm" graph as used in more 'primitive' countries to measure audience reaction during politicians' debates has proved to be a very influential (though totally unreliable) tool indeed.

Valhall: First off, you're totally right. I also noticed that when you post a whole lot of people look at your posts. I took a big risk and it paid off. There's no such thing as bad publicity.

More seriously, I just wanted to publicize the debate. There's no psyop campagin attached.

may peace envelope thee

I hope you get plenty of debaters...it will make it worth watching.

Only Valhall can say that she agrees with something MA said, while, in the next sentence, saying something that totally contradicts it, and receive an insider appreciation point... Most people would see this as a result of either 1)Not reading the preceding statement, or 2)Not being able to logically detach two contradictory ideas from each other.

Cognitive Dissonance: When someone believes in two contradicting ideas, and feels that the systems of logic that support both are fully functional.

C-D is either a sign of intellectual immaturity or the mark of a pure politician. That is... someone who is whoring out for votes will say that they 'agree' with everything they think the person they are talking to believes in. C-D, in this type of case, indicates a complete disregard for logical continuity.

Oh, well, I should start writing, "I agree with you fully" when I have no idea what the person i'm responding to is saying, at all. I might get the IA points I deserve...

You REALLY have an obsession with insider points huh? I don't understand what the BIG deal is? But then I guess I don't have to do I?

PEACE...
m...

Originally posted by onlyinmydreams I might get the IA points I deserve...

Apparently with 3 warnings in your belt... you may not deserve any.

OUCH! William calls it like he sees it...

I think this whole debate deal is incredibly good reading usually.

I learned ALOT reading DR's "Did Aliens seed humanity" debate.

I hope they get a boat load of debators...

P...
m...

Is it just me, or had the juvenile level of the forums increased recently?

Someone wanted to start some debates and the first thing we hear from people is how pointless it is and how much better they are to not be debating...

TS

I think you ought to re-read the originating post, and my reply because somewhere in the mix...you added something in your head.

I don't consider myself better or worse than anybody who decides to enter the debate tournament. I also do not think that arguing points that I neither care about, or believe in fits into the category of things that I would feel comfortable doing. That's the way I am. Other people are different - different does not imply inferior or superior - just a variation.

I think ktprktpr, as a new member, and as some one who is passionate about being in the debate tournament was manipulated without him really realizing it into posting the original post. I would urge him to NOT base his opinion of posters on this board on some one else's possibly very warped perception, but instead get to know them intellectually through his own experiences.

And I would urge you to not twist my words.

Val, if you had no interest in such a thing as debate, why did you feel compelled to let everyone know?

And um, I didn't twist your words...

TS

I asked you to reread the original post, which I guess you opted not to

ktprktpr states:

"Let's think about it: You lounge and post at leisure for many hours a day. Can't you spare a couple of brain cells and two hours a day to debate? It'll be fun, come on!"


And then further in the thread he admitted it was directed at me. By the way, I don't have anything against ktpr either. He asked a question. I answered him honestly. Are you implying that if some one asks me a question, I do not have the right to answer it? I sure hope not.

And, yes, you twisted my words.