Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - What's the point in discussing politics? No one ever changes their opinion.

filtherton · 03-28-2004, 04:42 PM

Its like climbing a mountain. You do it because it's there. IOW many people find it to be a highly agreeable recreational activity. Arguing for the sake of argument is as american as apple pie. Very few things that are said here have any importance to anybody in terms of actual worldly politics. It's not like any of us are in a position to implement our personal idea of effective foreign policy. Nor will arguing on the internet bring any of our other political desires closer to fruition.

I think the main reason i shove my face in around here is to test my positions. Check for any leaks. Get an idea of what the dissenters think. Further define where i stand and whether i'm full of shit or not.

I agree that most political debate in it's current form is not interesting. Too many people with nothing to say screaming at the top of their lungs. Anyone with the mind for it and enough knowledge on an issue can succesfully argue either side of said issue and be right regardless of which side they choose.

There's so much gray area in politics. You need not just facts, but idealogy. Facts are handy when they support your idealogy, but they aren't essential. So many political discussions some down to a simple difference in perspective. Unfortunately for political discussions, perspective is more often the result of experience and/or the media than the result of rational discussion. Facts have little do with it. "I believe what i believe and i'll be damned if i let any kind of logic sway my opinion" defines many discussions.

I guess to answer your question. Depending on the person, the point varies. For most people it seems that preaching to the choir and sniping at the opposition is the point.

03-28-2004, 04:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
filtherton Junkie Location: In the land of ice and snow.	Its like climbing a mountain. You do it because it's there. IOW many people find it to be a highly agreeable recreational activity. Arguing for the sake of argument is as american as apple pie. Very few things that are said here have any importance to anybody in terms of actual worldly politics. It's not like any of us are in a position to implement our personal idea of effective foreign policy. Nor will arguing on the internet bring any of our other political desires closer to fruition. I think the main reason i shove my face in around here is to test my positions. Check for any leaks. Get an idea of what the dissenters think. Further define where i stand and whether i'm full of shit or not. I agree that most political debate in it's current form is not interesting. Too many people with nothing to say screaming at the top of their lungs. Anyone with the mind for it and enough knowledge on an issue can succesfully argue either side of said issue and be right regardless of which side they choose. There's so much gray area in politics. You need not just facts, but idealogy. Facts are handy when they support your idealogy, but they aren't essential. So many political discussions some down to a simple difference in perspective. Unfortunately for political discussions, perspective is more often the result of experience and/or the media than the result of rational discussion. Facts have little do with it. "I believe what i believe and i'll be damned if i let any kind of logic sway my opinion" defines many discussions. I guess to answer your question. Depending on the person, the point varies. For most people it seems that preaching to the choir and sniping at the opposition is the point.