Arguing on the Internet
Trust me… I have no problem arguing. Just ask my wife, my parents, or any of my friends. I am pensive by nature and tend to think through things, so I am usually ready to defend my views.
That being said, I have learned repeatedly the futility of arguing on the internet. I have been active in a number of forums and debated issues on facebook and blogs. I find very rarely does it turn out well. It seems virtual arguments tend to escalate quicker and people tend to assume the worst. Electronic posts lack the non-verbals necessary to gauge things like sarcasm vs. sincerity or attacks vs. suggestions. When you don’t have a larger context it is easy to stereotype and pigeon-hole.
I write this because I find myself sticking to my commitment to blog regularly (I have already posted more in the last week than I have on my various blogs over 5 years). I am sure I will post some controversial things and I am up for discussion and encourage feedback and suggestions. However, I refuse to get into arguments over what I post. I see blogging as a way for me to express my thoughts (and work through them) and not as an avenue for convincing others to join whatever philosophical camp I happen to be representing.
I hope to have great conversations in the coming months, but please don’t be disappointed if I refuse to respond to some comments. It is not that I find the points invalid, or don’t appreciate a person’s thoughts. It is just that I don’t think it is helpful for anyone to argue over the internet. Too many words have been spilled and no many emotions raised over topics that in the end never amounted to anything.