Do you think people post argumentative, contrary positions just because they want to play Devil's Advocate and liven up the heap? Why do people like to argue just for the sake of arguing? Or is it really that there are just so many passionate people with differing opinions?

Maybe they're bored.

Maybe they're trying to understand other peoples' positions, or maybe they are questioning their own position.

I don't know. Maybe. :)

>>Do you think people post argumentative, contrary positions just because they want to play Devil's Advocate and liven up the heap? Why do people like to argue just for the sake of arguing?>>

Yes, and they do it because it amuses. I keep it real though, of course. :)

ebola

When keeping it real goes wrong.


"I don't like people playing on my phone"

Intelligent, informed people can draw wildly different conclusions.

All veg*ns aren't going to be left-leaning, liberal, peta-loving, counter-cultural pot-smoking ex-hippies living in San Francisco. We should know that is a stereotype, even if the rest of the world doesn't.

This board gives the impression of being firmly to the left, which makes moderates and conservatives stand out, but they do seem firm in their beliefs, even if they are frequently out posted by their more liberal counterparts.

Different Opinions.

When keeping it real goes wrong.


"I don't like people playing on my phone"

I hope he comes back... best show ever.

a lack of B12.

All of the above.

Depends on the person. Some people really are passionate about the position they take. . . others just argue to amuse themselves.

a lack of B12.

:lol:

I think it is a little bit of all of the above.

We also get the occasional misunderstanding due to the nature of online communication. Because you don't get the body language that goes with what someone is saying, it can be easily misinterpreted - for example if someone says something they mean to be sarcastic, or funny, and someone else takes it as serious. Or when someone accidentally comes across as angrier then they are, and others think they are being attacked. It's also easy to forget you are talking to actual people, rather then just words on a screen.

I agree with Shadowlee. I read somewhere that something like 75% (85%) of communication is non-verbal. I know I've said things on here that were taken in an entirely different way than I intended.

I don't know about others, but I try to stay away from "devil's adovate" positions. I find them generally useless and disingenous, and most often, annoying. The only exception is when someone actually qualifies their statement as a "devil's advocate position".

I rather discuss an issue with someone who actually believes what they write.

I sometimes do that for fun, to figure out how a belief works, or to see if maybe I do want to believe that after all.

I think most people who are argumentative on messageboards wouldn't say boo to the people they argue with in real life.

I think most people who are argumentative on messageboards wouldn't say boo to the people they argue with in real life.

You might be right. :baby: I might be nieve on this topic...

... but I do guess that a few of us are comfortable in real-life conflict. I for one, work pretty well in conflict, and I often seek it out in real life. However, I find that I am more of a finder of common ground in real life. Even in heated conflicts, I find that my voice still stays calm and only a few decibels above speaking.

I am quite good with words, and that helps in real-life arguments. I am quite argumentative in real life but, because of the opinion based topics on messageboards, probably more so here.

In some cases, I think it's just to argue and debate (some people really like a good debate.) In other cases, it could seem to happen more often because the internet is a global community, and there's more likely to be huge differences in how people perceive certain issues.

I hardly ever find people to argue with in R/L. Last time I had a decent fight (with someone who was neither friend nor family) was 8th grade.