Debate I'm a Serious debater, but I have a pet peeve!

[bez850]

For me, debating is fun. Not with a debate team, but on the message boards and things of that nature.
Arguing and debating about things are one in the same to me, and release a lot of pressure and frustration for me.

However, I always make sure to try to step away before I get carried away. I get way too into it, and don't want to say something I shouldn't! Especially since I don't mean anything by it!

But one thing I've noticed that drives me up the wall is when people tend to lean only on their opinions. It's batty to me. Interpretation is one thing, especially if you're using it as a device to explain the point you're trying to get across, but flat out using your opinion in a debate is ludicrous!!!

If a FACT exists, it precedes any opinions or guesstimations, if you will.

For example, I'm a big sports guy as well! I love the Miami Heat basketball team. They played the Boston Celtics team for the right to go to the championship this past season. Boston won, no big deal. But in the debate I was having, even though Miami was first place all year, the other purpose pushed the agenda that Miami was not in first place at any point last year

Obviously the particular conversation was much more detailed than that, but the point is the same, how can people so easily hop into a conversation and not even use the factual information at our fingertips?

A quick Google search for Miami heat last season will show they were number 1 in the East. Simple, right?

But I've noticed people prefer their opinions. And even when facts are presented, even these seemingly simple ones, they are just completely talked around. I feel like it wastes more energy trying to convince people a fact isn't true, than just researching it in general.

Maybe it's just me, but as a chronic talker with a high end motor and adhd, I love debating. I just hate that it gets so muddled with emotions and opinions that good debate can't happen anymore. Some people would rather use their opinions as shields to avoid being wrong or losing the debate, yet I'd rather be wrong than lie to meet my means.

Especially in something ultimately so meaningless as a debate on the internet.

Okay, end of Ted talk! What are some of yalls vices when debating??

 

[Corrin]

Don't argue with antivaxxers, they do that ALL THE TIME.

Personally, I don't debate. I've learned that most people won't change their mind or their views, no matter what. But if I'm asked why I have x opinion, I'll present it respectfully.

 

[Sweet Serenity]

Okay, end of Ted talk! What are some of yalls vices when debating??

My biggest pet peeve when "debating" with someone is when he or she resorts to personal attacks and/or make me the subject of their debate without addressing any of the points that I made. This is especially frustrating after I, say, made a lengthy post that directly proves them wrong and/or educates them, but instead, they ignore it in favor of attacking me. At that point, after calling them out on it, I just leave the topic alone.

 

[Megan]

The worst parts of debates and usually the reason why I avoid them is that people don't see it as a means to experience new opinions and accumulate new knowledge due to the other person having their own point of view. Instead most people who are into debates really just seem to be into winning and try their hardest to make their opinion the one and only truth.