There's a lot riding on some of the discussions on the forum. For me, it's about self-definition. How I see myself. My ideas are important to me...I may have to change my self-image. — T Clark
Both sides could still be acting in good faith, but the structure of exchange they've fallen into is not what they think it is. — Srap Tasmaner
Roth knows how to play this game. And it's not what you think.his parents' friends were giving them a hard time about what a bad boy he was, and he told them this: "Say, 'You don't know how bad he is! The things we've had to put up with -- it was a nightmare! Now the whole world knows, thank God.' But don't defend me. That's a losing game." — Srap Tasmaner
There's a lot riding on some of the discussions on the forum. For me, it's about self-definition. How I see myself. My ideas are important to me...I may have to change my self-image.
On the other hand, as I've said before, I think the level of competition on the forum has decreased significantly over the past few months and the level of civility has increased.
Just a quick clarification. Seems like you're being a dick, but I wouldn't want to accuse you of being a dick if you aren't being a dick. — T Clark
I think nine times of out ten, sides of a debate are not ‘wrong’; it’s much worse: they are ‘not even wrong’; the game itself is broken from the very beginning: the set of possible moves needs to itself be rejigged. — StreetlightX
It makes debate about power rather than ideas and truth — bert1
How civil of you (that's what anonymity does). Would your reply have been different if a face-to-face encounter between us was a real possibility? — Galuchat
To clarify: I would maintain in a face-to-face encounter between us that it is sad that your self-definition, -image, -esteem is dependent upon the posts in an internet forum. — Galuchat
Hopefully I have helped you to test your idea(s) and your self (your stated purpose for participating in this forum). But in case I haven't, we are done playing this game. — Galuchat
As I've mentioned before (ad nauseum?), the only way out of this is to ditch the idea of philosophy as a method of seeking 'truth', and come to terms with it's role as therapy. Instead of opponents in a debate, you have complimentary options, rational people will choose one of the options which makes most sense (in the classic use of the term), irrational people might choose some crazy world-view which is completely incoherent, but as Mark Twain (probably) said, one can hardly expect to use rational argument to disabuse someone of a notion that was never rationally arrived at in the first place. — Pseudonym
I've grown to understand that pragmatism is what your reffering to when it comes down to assessing the utility of various beliefs. No? — Posty McPostface
How sad.
It's just an internet forum (i.e., an anonymous group of people playing all sorts of different games for all sorts of different reasons). Occassionally, someone writes something worth reading. — Galuchat
I believe if you are truly here, practicing the discipline of philosophy, there is an endless amount we can learn about ourselves and those around us. — ArguingWAristotleTiff
Imagine my surprise when some contributors don't even bother with a pretense of logical argument, but go straight for the psychodrama. — Srap Tasmaner
Fact is: nobody is truly (or genuinely) here. Hello! It's an internet forum; where usually the only thing you learn from other members is:
1) Who they want you to think they are, and
2) What kind of games they like to play under a cloak of anonymity. — Galuchat
For example, you seem to be very much into playing a Mommy game with me now, a hostess game with newcomers at other times, and a dispenser of awards for politically correct posts at other times. — Galuchat
Whatever floats your boat, but don't kid yourself into thinking any of that has anything to do with practising the discipline of philosophy. — Galuchat
As for your reply: I found it amusing, but definitely not worth reading.
Take a Hike. — Galuchat
Fact is: nobody is truly (or genuinely) here. Hello! It's an internet forum; where usually the only thing you learn from other members is:
1) Who they want you to think they are, and
2) What kind of games they like to play under a cloak of anonymity. — Galuchat
It was unquestionably less civil to call someone a dick than it was for someone to claim your position was sad. The former was bullying, the latter perhaps insensitive. It did seem though from his response that he was unoffended by your middle school taunt, yet by your response it was clear you were incapable of handling criticism maturely.I knew what you meant. So, you seriously think that me calling you a name is worse than you condescendingly insulting me because I take the forum seriously? Civility? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it does. — T Clark
Politeness is dictatorial: you can't say this or that! If you break the rules, then you're a naughty boy. Naughty boys cause a stir, and sometimes they do this simply by speaking unfiltered truth. — Sapientia
And this is different from "real life" (or whatever you want to call it)... how?
This is such a last-century attitude towards communication on the Internet! For some reason it is taken as something less than real, something that cannot be taken seriously on pain of being mercilessly ridiculed by some dick. I could never really understand this. If you cannot see my face, or if you don't know my legal name, or if the interaction is mediated via digital rather than analog channels, then it is all so different? Why? — SophistiCat
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