Is debate possible between ignoramuses?How is it possible

this was going really well; believable even, untill you got to BD!

my opinion on this entire concept/question, going back to your original query, is that in discussions for the purpose of enlightening ourselves by interaction, seeking a greater wisdom, debate as a method of discussion negates the intent.
[debaters can only win or lose; they do not, by the very nature of their approach, 'learn'.]

what is the point in entering into a discussion where your own point of view, and knowledge base is the only one making complete sense, in the end being perceived as the predominent thesis?

[if you 'win' and learn nothing; you 'lose'!
if you 'lose', but learn something you did not previously know, or understand; you 'win'!]

Bo

To engage this fine english gentleman, you need first of all to put on a crooked hat. Then, just wade in anywhere. There's no small profit to be had. But avoid looking into his eyes.

c.i.

That is tantamount to an admission that there are some "juicy stories" to be related concerning the delicious Lola.And that you know one.Or a few maybe.Any gaps in our knowledge about this lovely Lady,ignorance of her pecadilloes for example,are likely to inhibit our abilty to relate to her and thus reduce the potential prosperity of our discussions not to mention the entertainment to be derived by our admittedly small number of discerning readers.

I'm not so sure I would class as "friends" people who allow my inadequacies to go unmentioned.If that were to be the case I would continue to exhibit these putative inadequacies for the rest of my life and live in a permanent fog of politenesses and useless pointless dust particles.I was first whacked into some sort of shape by a bunch of sympathetically challenged Jesuit priests close on who's heels followed a tranche of NCOs of such malevolence and obduracy that we suspected that they had cloven hooves inside their gleaming,gravel grinding boots.After that I joined the British Civil Service which was then staffed by productions of similar mills who had refined their sadism into the realms of biting sarcasm and vitriolic satire.Further to that the lower-class women who's company I invariably found myself frequenting,for obvious reasons,were not even remotely averse to pointing out my inadequacies in terms it was impossible to ignore.
And I had only just got used to long pants.

This very morning during Sky New's ridiculous pot filler about your Oscar ceremonies a handsome gentleman of tropical extraction graciously related in his acceptance speech that he had been,and would continue to be,in nightly contact with his dead grandmother.I suppose it must be a feature of the cultural divide between our two nations that he received a warm not to say enthusiastic round of applause whereas here the stewards might have gingerly approached him carrying a straightjacket.

Your illustrious English friends may well save your face by not pointing out any shortcomings in your linguistic abilities but if they don't laugh behind your back at your second paragraph we might well conclude that they were patronising you and through you the American educational system.

I'm sorry you find it all so boring.If there are any solecisms in my efforts I would be very happy to have them pointed out to me so that I may avoid them hereafter.That is the precise method by which I discovered that it is unseemly to break wind in the presence of ladies.I very much doubt I would have arrived at that sophistication of manners on my own account.

Regards.

Nice post spendius.

MG:-

The Pope is more in need of our blessings that we are of his and he has mine.

Does it not crease your gusset when some po-faced nitwit gets up on his or her hind legs to call for his resignation.What some people will do to get on telly or in the papers beggars belief.As if the Church can't function while he takes a rest.And media are as bad for giving them the space.They must be desperate.

I gather that the North American Anglican branch has been given the red card.Not before time eh?It just goes to show where ignorance leads to.

Boo Goes Wooster:-

Bob's okay.One of the few.The very few.I only mentioned him because Lola and the Major General are fellow followers.

I can't claim to have much in the way of a "point of view" and where I do it is always amenable to change where a discussion shows me an error in it.
A "knowledge base" of greater depth and profundity can often do that and I'm always eager to refine my views in that general direction.

I'm not sure that the view you express wouldn't lead to speechlessness or,at best,self-aggrandising grunting.

Regards.

Lola:-

I understand.You've been snuggling up again.

Was the convention interesting?

The conference was very nice, thank you Spendi.

I had a plumbing emergency this morning and so couldn't be here until now. I have perhaps missed you for today.

Lola:-

I hope it was the accomodation plumbing.

We've heard a lot about this conference which has taken you away from us but we still don't know what it was about.

It was about Love. (the conference)

The plumbing emergency was nothing exotic, just the bathroom sink.

Lola:-

Well what was decided about Love?That's what we are interested in.

Love is no way to treat a friend?

No way at all, Dys.......no way at all.

let's see, what was decided? Nothing.

What was discussed was:

Love and the Oedipus Complex
Love and Narcissism
Love in the Analytic Relationship
Love, Marriage and Infidelity
Love, Race and Gender

With which category would you like me to begin?

Well_I love my British Blue Tom Cat and he loves me and we are very good friends.

Lola:-

Oh infidelity of course.

One particularly interesting point was that those couples who start out with passion in their relationship are most likely to be able to keep it. Or, in the case of it being lost, are most likely to be able to find it again.

But the best one was that couples who have an enduring passionate relationship are the ones who can really fight. Making up is so gratifying. Plus you gain the knowledge of how much they love each other. That love can abide in spite of the humanness of both partners. I especially liked that one.

Example:

Frustrated and slightly worried man working on plumbing problem acting irratable and snappy, mumbles loudly under his breath. Woman who is still in mourning from a recent loss and feeling a bit sad, asks what's wrong.

Man says, "Leave me alone, I'll handle this!"

Woman says (with a rude attitude), "I tought you were talking to me. I'm glad I'm going to work today."

Man throws the wrench down on the hard wood floor (careful to aim at the towel, so as not to damage the floor), and storms off.

Woman, (who really likes a man that will get angry and say so....... swoon) remembering the thing about passion decides to return in kind (it does feel good) slams bathroom door, and in so doing knocks the wall clock onto the floor, breaking it.

It's not long before they're talking about what's really happening........... and then comes the passion. Nice story, huh?

I love you too, Spendius. You're my friend.