posted on Feb, 9 2008 @ 05:08 PM
Some folks debate to win. Only when the audience knows that the debate is meant as a competition, a show of debating skills, is that type of debate
of value. Given important and controversial topics, sometimes important things of value can be learned by the audience and the debaters themselves
during a competitive debate. A debate that is purely about winning is generally a waste of time, in my opinion. Some folks debate to persuade. That
is appropriate when attempting to prove a case. It is inappropriate when the objective is to prove to others that one knows what one is talking
about; ego gratification is another poor reason for debate. Time could be better spent on applying one's knowledge for the purpose of elucidating
subtle and confusing details about a given topic, in my opinion. Some folks debate to create opportunity to humiliate those that they are in a debate
with. I strongly object to this in a debate. Some folks debate to better understand what it is that they think they know. Coupled with debating to
better understand what others think, these are the two best reasons to debate, in my opinion.
There are plenty of people who do not come to ATS to debate. They come to chat. They are not interested in understanding fine trails of logic or
substance. They simply want to share their enthusiasm about a given subject. Simplified, they want to say, "That's fantastic!" Or, "I'm not
impressed." They don't want to debate, they just want to talk. There are others who just want to deliver information that excites them, but they
are not necessarily interested in debating the topic. The are more interested in what others think, rather than what they themselves think. Then
there are others who have been around the block a few times -- or more than a few times -- who only want to share what they know. They will debate
but that is not their primary purpose. Their primary purpose is to share information, and then to be thanked for it. Still, there are others who
come here for company. They want to make friends or foes. For whatever reason, they need the space, this place called ATS, to communicate with
others. For some its because discussing such topics in their homes is forbidden or difficult. No one that they know in "real life" is interested.
So it's better to come to ATS, be anonymous, and discuss things, challenge others, and be challenged. They have a great need to feel validated in
someway that is not provided in their day to day lives outside of ATS. There are also people here who are very serious and passionate about the
topics that they choose to discuss. And for them having a global network of like-minded individuals is crucial for them to make any headway in
discovering truths and solving age-old mysteries.
There are many reasons to come to ATS. I've only mentioned some of them. What is important to remember, I think, is that there are people behind
every post that we read. Many will disagree with what we say. Many times meanings are lost in translation. Some folks have a better grasp of
debating and/or topics than others do. Again, it is important to remember that the comments here represent the people who make them. It's okay to
get emotional, that's what the smilies are for, but it is also important to keep that emotion restricted to conveying emotion, and not use it to
disparage others. Likewise can be said for the use of debating skills. It's okay to be rigorous, analytical, and demanding, but use those skills to
convey and obtain a better understanding of the the topic at hand, and of the intent of the persons involved in the debate. Try to understand the
meaning of another's reply before responding; take as much time as needed. Otherwise, the entire exercise ends up being of little value to
anyone. Even when a debate ends in disagreement, if the debate was a good one, the participants will have found a new respect for those who
participated, and they will understand that they were pushed to consider more deeply what they previously took for granted. Folks who seek a
better understanding of something appreciate it when that happens. This is why it's important to remain respectful, so that we might reach that
point many times more than not.