What's your justification for debating strangers online when you could use that more productively?

[Naofumi]

Gradually, I grew disenchanted with the idea of online debating as it rarely results in changed opinions on either side so I wanted to know why you people do that when you could use that time to chill/do your work/pick a hobby?

I know @HalfMoon gets paid for his/her trolling but what's your reason?

 

[Maula Jatt]

For some people it might be entertainment or chilling

 

[AgnosticIndian]

it's of course mainly for personal reasons of entertainment. but on debates even when there's no chance of the other side changing their opinions, there's an element of "appeal to audience". you might be able to just nudge neutral guests/passer bys to your side, or at least reinforce the opinions of those who already agree with you, so that they may agree even more strongly to and conform more to your side.

 

[CatSultan]

Gradually, I grew disenchanted with the idea of online debating as it rarely results in changed opinions on either side so I wanted to know why you people do that when you could use that time to chill/do your work/pick a hobby?

I know @HalfMoon gets paid for his/her trolling but what's your reason?

I don't debate I just troll for fun. When I do its for actual learning other views rather than trying to convince online strangers my point. If you have an Idea and want to test if it holds up to scrutiny, the internet is the best place to do it since it will be exposed to a lot of people and they will come at it from many angles.

 

[CatSultan]

Also I don't use Social Media. Internet forumns are way more interesting than instagay and jewbook.

 

[TheSnakeEatingMarkhur]

Gradually, I grew disenchanted with the idea of online debating as it rarely results in changed opinions on either side so I wanted to know why you people do that when you could use that time to chill/do your work/pick a hobby?

I know @HalfMoon gets paid for his/her trolling but what's your reason?

I used to do that and came to a conclusion that it is waste of time. Yes it made me do research about different topics but it was waste of time as

1) it didn't change others opinion
2) stopped me from my studies/work
3) made me addicted to social media

I stopped using social media now I use them once in a while to just check back. Or check my pages only. And instead of debating I started my own Youtube channel where I post Military cinematic videos and have more plans for it which are related to national interest of Pakistan and education in Pakistan etc. But need to grow the identity first through YT and Insta.

And lastly I have been focusing more on my studies and working instead of wasting time on social media

 

[313ghazi]

I enjoy the sense of community and I like the exchange of ideas. I don't read discuss to persuade others.

 

[Wood]

Too much involvement in online forums like PDF may change the personality of people adversely. Very few people will have the maturity of mind to understand that what is said by random people online is often meaningless. The verbal spat/abuse online will gradually make individuals aggressive and result in rude behavior at real life.

Kudos to OP for making a point that all hyper active netizens should reflect upon. This thread deserves a positive rating

 

[Tornado23]

Idk why i debate.... Im retarded i guess?

 

[CatSultan]

Idk why i debate.... Im retarded i guess?

if its any consolation, we are all retarded.

 

[Paitoo]

People who have been on the same forum for too long may know the 'strangers' better than they know their own spouse

Jokes apart, I think every forum has its own motivations. In knowledge based forums where high quality content is appreciated, it might give a kick to post good content and be appreciated. Some forums may be a stark contrast to the boring echo chamber that you might be used to in real life. Some forums completely do away with political correctness so you feel you can speak your mind. On niche forums such as travel, automobiles etc there is an opportunity to show off how well travelled you are and what fancy wheels you own, even if in a subtle manner.

Having said that, on a personal level my interest in forums ebbs and flows and is a function of how much free time I have, AFTER taking care of everything, rather than being the primary way to kill time. Not saying that I have not slacked at work occasionally, but a few jolts from workplace or wife generally gets me back on track.

 

[Tornado23]

if its any consolation, we are all retarded.

Yay?

 

[Itachi]

Gradually, I grew disenchanted with the idea of online debating as it rarely results in changed opinions on either side so I wanted to know why you people do that when you could use that time to chill/do your work/pick a hobby?

I know @HalfMoon gets paid for his/her trolling but what's your reason?

 

[Naofumi]

it's of course mainly for personal reasons of entertainment. but on debates even when there's no chance of the other side changing their opinions, there's an element of "appeal to audience". you might be able to just nudge neutral guests/passer bys to your side, or at least reinforce the opinions of those who already agree with you, so that they may agree even more strongly to and conform more to your side.

Never thought that but probably you need to have some ideas you hold very dear, so that you may be able to convince yourself that your posts do have an effect, maybe little but emotionally satisfying enough so that you it can soothe your self that you didn't wasted your time afterall.

Jokes apart, I think every forum has its own motivations. In knowledge based forums where high quality content is appreciated, it might give a kick to post good content and be appreciated. Some forums may be a stark contrast to the boring echo chamber that you might be used to in real life. Some forums completely do away with political correctness so you feel you can speak your mind. On niche forums such as travel, automobiles etc there is an opportunity to show off how well travelled you are and what fancy wheels you own, even if in a subtle manner.

There's also the gamification in terms of likes, upvotes, ratings etc. People want to feel appreciated, I see it as a form of escapism which is fine.

For some people it might be entertainment or chilling

Yeah, it is. Maybe dopamine release is associated with you having proved your point against the opponent? A kind of winning the battle. That you virtually killed your opponent not much different than in an online game.

I don't debate I just troll for fun. When I do its for actual learning other views rather than trying to convince online strangers my point. If you have an Idea and want to test if it holds up to scrutiny, the internet is the best place to do it since it will be exposed to a lot of people and they will come at it from many angles.

Yeah, I like this viewpoint but that entails that you will change your ideas when people demonstrate it wrong?

Too much involvement in online forums like PDF may change the personality of people adversely. Very few people will have the maturity of mind to understand that what is said by random people online is often meaningless. The verbal spat/abuse online will gradually make individuals aggressive and result in rude behavior at real life.

You are correct, I began to view to individuals from a narrow lens that I maintained online for filtering strangers but that didn't worked and made me socially misanthrope I guess. Guess what, people probably demonstrate more individuality in real life, or maybe that's what my subjective experience entails.


@jamahir , Why are you posting for 7 (or more?) years here when no one changes their mind about communism? Don't you have a life?

 

[Genghis khan1]

Demagi keera.