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I think the internet is just an awful place to have a "national discussion" honestly. Arguments you encounter are not representative of opinions actual people h

I think the internet is just an awful place to have a "national discussion" honestly. Arguments you encounter are not representative of opinions actual people hold, both because of bad faith internet trolls & because of vocal minorities. I think people have started learning this, which is why so few people care about social media censorship and the lack of open debates on the internet. Most people have probably had enough 30 comment threads with trolls on facebook to not give a shit about internet debate by now. Nowadays if I want a good debate or a debate on a truly controversial topic, I would only do so in a closed chat room with people I know. The internet is only for advertising my opinion rather than debating it, although I am as guilty as anyone of occasionally getting derailed into a full argument.

humanrebar 8y ago
In my experience, actually having conversations about meaningful and controversial subjects is impolite and a good way to lose friends. At least on the internet, the other party can just stop talking when they're done. They won't feel like they're cutting off or abandoning a friend.
- helen___keller 8y ago
  Well, I know which friends are comfortable talking about what. It's usually still over the internet too.
- KozmoNau7 8y ago
  If you can't have conversations and even discussions about meaningful or controversial subjects with your friends, I would say they were never actually your friends. I am friends with some people whom I wildly disagree with on a number of subjects, especially politics. But we have common ground in shared interests (music and whisky), and we use that as a basis for civilized discussion. We might disagree wildly and be political "enemies", but we are still more alike than we are different.
  - humanrebar 8y ago
    I have some friends I can talk about anything with. I have some friends that aren't capable of doing that, at least not with me. If I expect my friends to be perfect, I'm not a very good friend.
    - KozmoNau7 8y ago
      That's exactly what I mean, it goes both ways. If you can't respect each other, either one or both of you aren't an actual friend.
      - humanrebar 8y ago
        I can respect someone and consider them a friend without discussing, for example, my sex life with them. It's not a matter of respect necessarily. Sometimes it's propriety. Sometimes it's disinterest. Sometimes it's insensitive to dig into certain subjects with that particular person. Sometimes it's a time when they have bigger needs than I do and I'd rather not focus on my problems when I'm around them. There is such a thing as discretion. It is healthy. Even with friends.

humanrebar 8y ago

In my experience, actually having conversations about meaningful and controversial subjects is impolite and a good way to lose friends. At least on the internet, the other party can just stop talking when they're done. They won't feel like they're cutting off or abandoning a friend.

helen___keller 8y ago
Well, I know which friends are comfortable talking about what. It's usually still over the internet too.
KozmoNau7 8y ago
If you can't have conversations and even discussions about meaningful or controversial subjects with your friends, I would say they were never actually your friends. I am friends with some people whom I wildly disagree with on a number of subjects, especially politics. But we have common ground in shared interests (music and whisky), and we use that as a basis for civilized discussion. We might disagree wildly and be political "enemies", but we are still more alike than we are different.
- humanrebar 8y ago
  I have some friends I can talk about anything with. I have some friends that aren't capable of doing that, at least not with me. If I expect my friends to be perfect, I'm not a very good friend.
  - KozmoNau7 8y ago
    That's exactly what I mean, it goes both ways. If you can't respect each other, either one or both of you aren't an actual friend.
    - humanrebar 8y ago
      I can respect someone and consider them a friend without discussing, for example, my sex life with them. It's not a matter of respect necessarily. Sometimes it's propriety. Sometimes it's disinterest. Sometimes it's insensitive to dig into certain subjects with that particular person. Sometimes it's a time when they have bigger needs than I do and I'd rather not focus on my problems when I'm around them. There is such a thing as discretion. It is healthy. Even with friends.