I know this is a meme but I think people look down on internet discussions too much. Obviously it depends on “arguing” type but reddit/lemmy is at least somewhat structured and depending on the community can be good faith and productive. For people who don’t live in a big city finding a community to exchange more niche thoughts and opinions (e.g. operating systems, design decisions etc) is incredibly difficult.
I have a related anecdote of being an assistant to older people in IT classes and intellectual starvation is a very big deal. Once people settle down, move further out of the city it’s hard to find discussions on their interests without internet comments. The real issue is Facebook groups which are often the only forums available to these people, and they are not fit for scratching this itch for intellectual stimulation as it’s design precisely for the opposite of that. This might sound silly, but old people need Lemmy.
Its my crack I can’t stop coming back to all while hating every second of it
I think debating for fun has killed our ability to communicate as a species. Pushback becomes an ignorable stress since it comes with no real consequence. And it makes every conversation an chance to argue your point as if it must be a part of your identity to be protected at all cost.
I really dislike angry conversation without purpose.
It’s my favorite hobby.
At this point, every comment on Lemmy is greeted with angry responses who are willfully choosing to ignore the point I was making and try to fight me.
If I say “I like dogs” someone is going to come along and tell me I’m a jerk for not liking cats even though I didn’t say I don’t like cats. That or someone mansplaining dogs to me.
Calm down Lemmy. Take a breather.
What about birds you heartless monster, you have ruined my day!
It is good fun though… It’s part of the reason I got permabanned from Reddit… That and criticizing Israel and Nazis.
i got banned for posting a picture of my cat sitting on the porch.
it made me a bird mass murderer, or something. ban was for inciting violence.
it was in 2021. then i was unbanned a few months later with a DM begging me to buy IPO stock.
People like being offended and feeling victimized.
It’s a rush and they get addicted to it.
I have a cat and a dog… and a lot of folks will just argue with me on principle or try to make me pick a side. even in real life. or like get in a big stink about if they are purebred or rescue. i have no clue why any of it matters, i guess other than their insecure need to feel validated by getting you to agree with them.
I hate it. It’s so stupid and annoying. You can’t just like things anymore… anything you enjoy has to ‘hurt’ someone else and they have to let you know how wrong and bad you are for enjoying it.
I like Cilantro, and I’ve had internet weirdos tell me that it’s able-ist to enjoy it, because my enjoyment of it is some sort of racism against the people for whom it tastes like soap. Or like commentary made at me in the taco line when I order it how it’s so gross. It’s so ridiculous. I think Pinto beans are disgusting, but I don’t feel offended and hurt that other people enjoy them.
Please give your furry friend a treat from me and tell them I said hi!
Yes, i was entertained for a while.
Got me banned from reddit and now I’m here so I’d say in a weird ironic sense, sorta?
Oh, I’m about to argue with one right now you little dumbass
Hello, fellow stranger online!
To be fair, when you try it in person, they’re all “Who are you? How did you get in my house? I’m calling the cops!”, then it’s no fun at all.
Of course it was.
They were wrong. How are they going to know they are wrong if no one tells them?
The ones who know they’re wrong bother me even more.
what was i supposed to do, let people just be wrong online?
could be worse, you could let them merge in front of you in traffic.
let… them…?
Is… Is that an option?
Absolutely. There’s way too many blithering idiots online. We made the web way too accessible to them back in the ‘90’s.
And if idiots don’t get challenged, you run the risk of them thinking they’re actually right. And that’s very, very dangerous.
I will admit the only reason I attempt to verbally correct them is because I don’t have access to a Reaper drone to shove a Flying Ginsu missile up their ass.
I hate saying this, I feel gross saying this, but the internet needs restrictions. I don’t know what the solution is. I hate all the ones that are being tried right now like age verification or needing an ID, because they really seem more focused on surveillance than anything else… But… God damn.
The general public should not have unfettered access to the internet. I think we have shown that this technology is too dangerous for humanity as a whole. There’s just too many idiots and bad actors. Again, I don’t know what the solution is. How do you balance privacy and personal freedom with the dangers that come with giving everyone access to everything? Unfortunately, I don’t see a solution that doesn’t come off as draconian or controlling in some way, shape, or form.
Maybe it’s something like a multi-layer internet, where the first layer anyone can access but is mostly read-only with a few exceptions. If you want to access the second layer which allows you to post, comment, upload, etc., you need a license. The barrier to entry should be small, something on the level of a HAM radio license. A simple class, an easy test, and a small one-time fee and you’re good for 10 years. You can even allow access for anyone at a library, university, or business.
It wouldn’t fix everything, and deep down I know that if anything like this were tried it would be twisted and warped by the powers that be to become just another form of control, but holy shit we need something or society is going to tear itself apart.
you feel gross saying this for a reason
I mean, evidence shows that having their ideas challenged online tends to entrench people in their ideas more so than it convinces them that they’re wrong.
So, while I sympathize with your goals, I think your method is having the opposite effect of your intended outcome.
I say this, knowing it’s true, and still doing the arguing online thing anyway.
What evidence? You didn’t pull this out of your ass, did you?
I don’t believe it!
spoiler
Get the joke?
It’s not about them it’s about the other people that might be influenced by their post.
Online is never an A&B conversation, which is why I usually avoid direct confrontation and just provide well structured, clear information, because I don’t really care whether I can convince someone who was made up their mind.
It’s about deconstructing the argument with clear digestible information for the dozens of lurkers.
LOL as if. Literally I will see people with logical responses getting ripped apart because the person they are arguing with just sounds more right and or it fits what people wanted to hear in that specific echo chamber.
Say something cause you want to say it, not cause you are giving yourself points on an invisible scoreboard for people that might not exist.
I think you may want to reread what I wrote because this is barely related. Feels more like something happened and you’re just looking for a vent.
No its related In that, I dont believe the lurkers are appreciating it like you think they are. And that logical responses are often still beaten by emotional forces. And, getting the high of watching a “nerd” get dunked on is likely more of not all of the counter arguments received perspective when commenting against the perceived right take of a community.
If you are commenting, you are doing it for yourself. Inventing an imaginary person that is receiving your argument other than the person you are talking to is silly and delusional in the truest sense of that word.
I don’t think it’s delusional to want to teach people things. When you respectfully deconstruct someone’s half truths it can help people understand.
This is not to say that you should take everything seriously or that every person is worth engaging with of course you still have to be selective.
Imagining their existence without proof is though. Teaching people is different then screaming into a black box and relying on faith that it did.
And here we are back at the emotional response overpowering the logical one. If you want to teach actually do it than hoping you are passively doing it.
yeah, your such a big tough strong guy who is so smart.
so strong that you fantasizing about murdering people who upset you by saying things you don’t like… so brave. so smart. so strong.
All thoughts are not created equal. Something tells me yours are created even less equal than most.
Ew. Using the 3/5s compromise even in a comment section is pretty gross.
yeah, so superior when you’re go to is insults and threats.
almost like you’re a bully, and a coward.
yeah, so superior when you’re go to is insults and threats.
yeah, your such a big tough strong guy who is so smart.
It’s a hobby.
1000% worth it.
If you don’t challenge things, you let bullshit flourish and that influences societal views.
Yeah, I like to piss off Liberals and Nazis.
What’s the difference?
Hint: he doesn’t know.
