Why is it that so many A2Kers think that every topic should turn into a debate?

@Lash,

Oh yeah? Why the hell not . . . that is so typical of the tripe you habitually post. Sofia . . . Goth . . . whatever the hell your name is . . .

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@Lash,

Lash wrote:

I don't think we can categorize female and male behavior with any accuracy.

Procreative would have been just fine with me.

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@Setanta,

trying to make BBB's point for her?

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rro/lowres/rron697l.jpg

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@NoOne phil,

Quote:

A philosopher cooks his own meals.

Silly man ! You mean a chief ! A chief cooks meals.

Quote:

one should learn by rote.

Rote learning is the only thing that will be available in a physical emergency apart from instincts. I spent my life on rote learning.

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@Ionus,

Chef, doofus.

1 Reply

@BumbleBeeBoogie,

BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:

Why is it that so many A2Kers think that every topic should turn into a debate?

My two cents: Because many a2kers enjoy it and don't see a lot of reason that it shouldn't evolve/devolve into one. I'm one of them and though I sometimes think it's a significant personal failing I don't think I'd have much success in changing it. So it's better in my book to ask for forgiveness than permission for a debate.

So, sorry if I've overdebated any of your threads, please ignore around me as I figure stuff out.

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@Robert Gentel,

I like all the back and forth. I'm not a good debater. But, the news is, so are not many others...

I much like this aspect of a2k, the learning on how to argue.

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

I don't think it's mostly a gender thing. Some men dislike debate, some women like it, and vice versa.

I don't know if it qualifies as a "gender thing" but in my experience women are much less likely to enjoy debate than men.

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@Lash,

Lash wrote:

I don't think we can categorize female and male behavior with any accuracy.

I don't know what exactly you mean by either "categorize" or "accuracy" here but there are certainly perfectly accurate generalizations (a surprising number of people harbor the notion that all generalizations are "bad") about gender. Here is just one:

Women, in general, are far more likely to breastfeed babies than men.

1 Reply

@Lash,

Quote:

Chef, doofus.

No, a chef is a leader of a tribe.

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Well, yeah. That's why I put that "mostly" in there though. This post:

BBB wrote:

It seems to me that so many male debaters engage in extremely hostile verbal attacks. It's as if they enjoyed the fight more than winning the argument.

Maybe my reaction is female or old lady---or both.

was about whether the differences in approach to debate are due to gender. I think one's gender is probably part of it. But there are enough exceptions on both sides (men who don't like to debate, women who do like to debate) that I don't think it's mostly about gender.

One's approach to debate is influenced by a whole lot of things, from what sort of background/ culture you come from (some cultures are notably "louder" and more comfortable with debate than others -- I'd include Jewish and Italian cultures, for example), to age, to educational background, to inherent temperament, to all sorts of other elements.

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@sozobe,

That's debatable.

1 Reply

@George,

Is not.

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I believe some folks might want to debate a thread's topic. Others might want to debate a particular poster. Or, perhaps, at least utilize the thread as an opportunity to show one's dominance on the forum regarding a particular poster.

I have also observed that some might have different personalities on different threads. Sort of like one's behavior at church, and one's behavior on the ball field.

Also, I would like the "Ignore" feature to be renamed "Snub" feature.

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@sozobe,

Is too.

1 Reply

@George,

not

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@Robert Gentel,

Robert Gentel wrote:

I don't know if it qualifies as a "gender thing" but in my experience women are much less likely to enjoy debate than men.

Our gender/age/location/culture might effect our experience.

If I went by my experience/personal observation, I'd think that in most married couples women are the primary breadwinners.

My experience says women like to debate - and to get really hard-ass about it. Your experience says women are much less likely to enjoy debate than men.

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Robert, I think my lack of appreciation in debates is when the debaters stop civil talking about the accuracy of the topic and begin insulting , bullying, vicious name calling. That behavior ends my interest in the debate.

Am I a chicken debater?

BBB

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@BumbleBeeBoogie,

BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:

Robert, I think my lack of appreciation in debates is when the debaters stop civil talking about the accuracy of the topic and begin insulting , bullying, vicious name calling. That behavior ends my interest in the debate.

Am I a chicken debater?

BBB

I have a thought, small as it is, to interject here:
The purpose of reasoning is the modification of human behavior--this is by definition of the human mind to effect human behavior. Great Logicians, such as Plato realized that when you know logic, really know it, you are conversant in the use of logic through metaphor to manipulate emotion. I.e. you can use metaphor that the reader, who cannot understand the base concept the metaphor is derived from to manipulate response. One example is in religion.
That is why Plato demonstrated the construction of Mythology--it is part of a complete understanding of logic.
What we call unreasoned emotional response, may actually be, a germination of the same concept---------thus, even the maddest of responses provide one with the opportunity to develope rational defense mechanism's.

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@Robert Gentel,

I suppose that we might say most men stand while urinating and stick their hand down their pants during televised football exhibitions....but I am in earnest hopes that BBB and assorted lookers-on will connect my comment a bit closer to the thesis of this - her thread - and immediately realize that I do not believe one must be in possession of a Johnson to sling it around in debate... There is the "phantom limb" theory...

2 Replies

Why is it that so many A2Kers think that every topic should turn into a debate?

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