Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

This is a serious question. Why do you spend time here, debating or discussing or ranting over the issues we talk about on OT?

Why do you consider it worth your time and energy? Do you have the same discussions and arguments on other online boards? In your offline life? Do you take the same positions, or take them as strongly, in other forums? Why don't you just go watch TV, have a beer, read a book, etc?

I think it is an interesting question, considering how many people devote a substantial amount of their energy and free time to PPOT.

I'll start: I come here because I seldom have the opportunity to debate political, economic, etc, issues in my offline life. Being in Berkeley, I find that my friends tend to have views fairly close to mine, in many cases they are to the left of me. Debates are not very interesting when both agree. Here I get to hear from people with views very different than my own, and many express those views clearly and with supporting data and reasoning. Quite often I find that my own views are influenced by the discussions here, at a minimum I have to think harder about my views. A couple of years on PPOT has actually shifted me on some issues.

(Of course, PPOT is also a good place to answer "how to" questions like what do you use to shoot rats and so on. But I'm asking here about the political threads.)

I'm in sales and the last thing I would talk to my customers about is politics. This is where I get my fix. My wife is to the left of me and arguing with her is a losing battle on so many levels.

It's easier to dabte an issue because we are all behind a computer and we really don't know each other. I am almost to 2600 posts and I can't tell you the countless information about a wide variety of topics I have learned. You should see me trying to explain this in the real world. My Porsche buddies or this happened to a Porsche guy I know or you don't know who Jack O is. Plus if I type it, you guys listen or read it whether you want to or not and then put in your own 2 cents.

Great question.

I reckon it is human nature to try and project one's own values, beliefs and convictions on to others. PP OT BBS is a great vehicle to exercise this behaviour as it is anonymous and best of all: consequence free.

* Consequence free untill the radical far right contingent chime in and start circle jerkin' that is.

Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

It's primarily entertainment for me; it's fun!

Having fun is important to me.

Yes, and yes.

Yes.

There is often nothing worth watching on TV; I hate beer; read a book? -- that's a good suggestion...

I just look at the pictures

There are some interesting points raised by many. And there are extremists on both sides that provide a little rancor. Sometimes, hardly often, I can make truly factual rebuttals to misinformation. Mostly, the diversity of opinions and the clarity some show with the written word brings me here. And sometimes there are the "I never heard that before" moments.

I fear socialism and I love my country. I will not let socialism and its utopian false promises ruin this country.

Ya'll make me laugh!

(BTW, it's "at", not "with".)

Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

I no longer have any idea why...:rolleyes:

Markus - normally I have about three things going on at once - if at home its the lap top, the TV and this site, at work, its reports, the phone and this site, e-mail. Its a diversion.

Re: Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

My strategy is taking effect...."Excellent!"

You say things on the internet that you would never say to someones face. I find it liberating. I enjoy life when the gloves come off. Of course the fact that I spent 16 hours a day in front of a computer makes it an easy output for my caffiene induced ranting....

Because I'm always right damn it. Or is it left?

Quote:

You say things on the internet that you would never say to someones face.

Nah, I find it to be the other way around. I say things to peoples faces that I'd never say on the internet. Why? The internet leaves a paper trail:)

I almost never post in OT but spend a good deal of time reading it. Like the 2 and a half hours I just spent reading OT posts. Why? It amuses me.

Where else are you surrounded by a large number of intelligent, passionate and knowledgeable people with all kinds of background and experience willing to share ? Its like an immense second family gathered around one common passion.

Oh, and being a durn for'ner makes you all my personal English language teachers. Much appreciated !

Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

Exactly the same here...except that most of my friends are to the right of me in their political views.

I could deal with socialism if I had to; the greater evil is the fascism that Bush, Cheney & company brought to the party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism#Definition

It started with my desire to enlighten the clueless art majors in college. I thought for certain that once I left academia, I wouldn't see so much ignorance about how the world really works. I have been sorely disappointed.

One of these days, I will get myself a sledgehammer. I will engrave the face of the sledgehammer with the world "Reality". I will go around and hit clueless people in the head with the sledgehammer, in the hope that a little bit of Reality finally gets through their thick skulls.

Purely entertainment value.

I find more intelligent people here than I get to deal with in day to day life. Even if I do not agree with every point of view I read here, most of them are at least eloquently stated and relatively well supported. My experiences on other special interest message boards is that most participants are idiots and they are a waste of my time. "Pearls before swine" comes to mind. I don't get that impression here. It would seem P-car ownership, or maybe the means to such, is an effective filter that keeps most of the rif-raf out. I feel like I can engage in meaningful, thought provoking discussions with this crowd. Even if we do enjoy pushing each others buttons from time to time. Or more like all of the time; but at least they are intelligent, well thought out jabs. It's fun.

Basically to kill time at work, and to get away from the wife at home!:D

Art majors? Do you know that some of the first people monitored/arrested/killed in any revolution or through the reign of an authoritative government (like we have now) are artists and writers - i.e. "art majors"?

John Lennon should strike a chord in your head for instance. Salman Rushdie is another person of note.

But then again, artists have much more to say and have much more influence than others who just post on OT forums.

And that's reality, academic or otherwise...

Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

Hah! Debating? Yeah right. Ranting? More like it. I've taken part in a few [ahem] "discussions" here, then realized the futility of it. I still read lots in OT (mostly as a diversion from actually getting work done :D), but rarely if ever anything political. The right vs left gets really tiresome, really fast. Particularly when the steadfast doctrine of a belief system prevents people from seeing any other point of view, to the point where every quote, action, etc must be twisted to prove said doctrine. And while I wouldn't exempt those on the left from this, it's a much more prevalent characteristic of those on the right.

I come here to get a sense of who's about to swing a sledgehammer, and which direction it might be coming from. Better safe than sorry :)

You just gave me a great idea for a Christmas gift! That suggestion makes this thread worth it!

THAT IS WHY I FREQUANT THIS SITE!!! (that and camel toes pics)

I love watching the path some people take themselves down with their "logic".

this is way beter then the rc car forims i goto wear noone can evan spel punkshuashun or evin no howto use it and just rambal on fore evar and dont say much uther then my car roks youre car sucs i beet yuo last week & i geting new car evun faster too kik youre as next week are we racing at bills track oar ar we runing in the dert instad call me on my cel let me no if i can ussum of youre batries chuk rock on doods see you sune

Because I have no life.

Wow, made it to the third person before it degenerated into name-calling. I find it interesting to hear what people have to say, and I don't discuss politics or religion at work, people are too easily offended on these subjects in real life

I thought they killed all the laywers first.

For some of you I think its because your mom won't let you use a magnifying glass to burn and torture ants, so you have to get your kicks burning and torturing other creatures in a new and inventive way.

Okay, you've explained tabs' reason for being here.

Nuff said!

My dogs breath smells like dog food!

THAT, my dear friend aint' name calling......stick around long enough and you will see what I mean.

>It would seem P-car ownership, or maybe the means to such, is an effective filter that keeps most of the rif-raf out. I feel like I can engage in meaningful, thought provoking discussions with this crowd. Even if we do enjoy pushing each others buttons from time to time. Or more like all of the time; but at least they are intelligent, well thought out jabs. It's fun.

You nailed it. :)

Re: Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

I'm like John/Seahawk (I have friends/relatives both sides of me though). More importantly, most don't care much...

I'm under no illusions that anyone with a strongly held view will change it because of anything I'll say. I post in hope that some of those with extremely strong positions will at least consider the other side might have a point, even if it is wrong.

That, and Pelican is the most powerful procrastination tool I've found in my life.

My wife says that this board is like a soap opera witout the sex (Bring back Grid Girls)

Re: Re: Re: Why Do You Spend Your Time Debating Issues Here?
 

We have a winner...