During my internet escapades, I've learned battling online foes on a philosophical level is far different than in person. It has it's advantages and disadvantages.
Pro: you can't see each other.
Con: you can't see each other.
If you were debating someone in person, you could only rely on what you already knew or brought with you in your tiny arsenal of notes.
VS.
Online battles where you can spend minutes (even hours) opening up multiple tabs of articles, skimming through your copy of 'Rules For Radicals' or running to Google if necessary to prove your opponent wrong.
The ability to (in theory) pause an argument in the online world is invaluable. Where as the counterpart to "pausing an argument" in real life is to walk out of the room. Not really a show of strength in your argument, is it?
Proper social conduct and manners aren't a necessary requirement to online discussions or debates, however if you want to be taken seriously, here's some rules I like to use when online debating:
- Don't get into a debate you have no knowledge about,
- Don't immediately start throwing derogatory terms or slurs at your opponent. It makes you look ignorant and weak.
- If your discussion has become nothing but insults (by either party) and facts are seemingly irrelevant, LEAVE. It's not worth carrying on the insanity and making yourself look like an idiot.
- Learn about what you defend before completely defending it.
Ex: For years I admired (and sometimes defended) Thomas Edison's 'so-called' brilliance. That was until I learned how much of an a**hole he was to Nikola Tesla, who was the real genius behind many of Edison's credited inventions.
- Don't automatically assume someone with an opposing view is there to troll you.
Ex: I was tagged in a Twitter feed which went on for over 24hrs. During that time an ultimate SJW piped in to argue his point that Socialism/Communism was the best thing since evolution. To be honest, I was a bit depressed by my fellow conservatives. Rather than hearing the Communist out (no matter how silly) they quickly dismissed him as a trolling libtard because of his low follower count.
Both sides fell to insults and no real facts were ever provided. Hours later and I decided to engage the Communist in an intelligent debate (for good or for bad). I wanted to hear his side even if it was just to validate my own beliefs.
After being told multiple times to ignore the Communist by my fellow conservatives, I learned he wasn't a troll, but in fact very intelligent and knowledgable in his radical beliefs (even if those beliefs were misguided). We both were able to carry on a relatively intellectual and factual discussion, even with our fundamentally different philosophies.
- Give credit where credit where credit is due.
Ex: In a Twitter feed two people were arguing. Person A wanted Person B to provide articles and evidence to support his statements. When Person B finally gave multiple credible sources to validate his side, Person A dismissed him and told him his opinions and facts were irrelevant. Many of Person A's fellow twitterers ganged up on Person B, throwing undue insults all because Person B gave evidence which went against Person A and his contemporary's beliefs.
- Don't troll. It's just rude.
In conclusion, be educated and be respectful if at all possible. If you come across intelligent this will usually appeal to other's intelligent side as well, no matter philosophical or political standing. If not, then you know the person is simply there to troll and make a spectacle of themselves, or worse, you.
~ AM Sam