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If you want people to take you seriously, you have to put up a front of politeness and respect. I'm not exactly known for being the nicest guy around here, but I restrain the shit out of myself because I understand social conventions and especially persuasion theory. Very simply, about 85% of people are not open to large changes of opinion in debate. To change their minds, you have to do it bit by bit, staying within their "comfort zone" and taking steps that they're willing to take.
The Internet is mostly anonymous and I restrain myself because I want people to take other things I say seriously. In real life, there are people who would have no problem assaulting me for my opinions on, for example, religion. Politics is generally understood as having more leeway for disagreement in debate, but people are still very narrow-minded.
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