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> Never argue on the internet. No one will remember whether you won or lost the argument; they'll just remember that you are the sort of person who argues on th

> Never argue on the internet. No one will remember whether you won or lost the argument; they'll just remember that you are the sort of person who argues on the internet. This is burned in my mind and doesn't anchor enough of my judgement of what to engage with on the internet yet, but I've never yet been steered wrong by it. EDIT - This is equally applicable to realms outside of the internet. You have to be really right to be remembered as the person who was right about something in your friend group or coworkers. Like, you have to prevent someone from dying levels of correct. Otherwise you're just the person who kept talking about something until everyone gave in. And either way, they'll still remember you as that person who argues about things.

junon 3y ago
Here's a related piece of advice from Gabe Newell that I've always found rather poignant. > You have to stop thinking that you're in charge and start thinking that you're having a dance. We used to think we're smart [...] but nobody is smarter than the internet. [...] One of the things we learned pretty early on is 'Don't ever, ever try to lie to the internet - because they will catch you. They will de-construct your spin. They will remember everything you ever say for eternity.'
0xDEAFBEAD 3y ago
This is a purely selfish analysis though. You may be remembered as that person who argues about things -- but it could also be that the group is much better off due to your arguments. "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit"
- pavlov 3y ago
  A person who argues about things in a group is usually someone who cares very much about getting the credit for being right. The “amazing what you can accomplish” quote is about doing things indirectly and without ego — the opposite of pounding on with upfront arguments.
  - haswell 3y ago
    > A person who argues about things in a group is usually someone who cares very much about getting the credit for being right. I think this is a bit of an overgeneralization. People also argue because: - They’re passionate about a given topic - They’re actually right about a consequential topic and find it worth standing their ground - Some people just really like to argue about things - not for the payoff, but for the joy of argument itself (see: debate) I’ve encountered the ego-centric “I just want to get credit for something” types, but I wouldn’t say this is always or even most often the case.
ChildOfChaos 3y ago
This is a really tricky one for me, particularly on reddit, I don't know why people post such stupid things online or have to argue with everything, but then sometimes I do wonder, how much they are just me, because I get enraged with what they say and end up arguing back. So am I any better than when I do that? and I don't want to be that person, so I need to learn to let it go, but outrage is a hell of a drug.
hnfong 3y ago
You're doing it wrong. You gain nothing by winning arguments. It's when realize you were wrong and the other side passionately tears apart your argument is when you learn the best. Most people don't know how to learn from being wrong on the Internet, but for the those who do, they also might have something to gain when I'm right. I don't know why some people think "the sort of person who argues on the internet" is some kind of low life. There are those who don't dare to argue, there are those who are irrationally afraid of being wrong, there are those who have lost passion for anything worth making a stand, and there are those who overly worry about what others would think of them. These people don't argue on the Internet, and I don't want to be any of those people. That said, choose your battles. But don't be a coward.

junon 3y ago

Here's a related piece of advice from Gabe Newell that I've always found rather poignant. > You have to stop thinking that you're in charge and start thinking that you're having a dance. We used to think we're smart [...] but nobody is smarter than the internet. [...] One of the things we learned pretty early on is 'Don't ever, ever try to lie to the internet - because they will catch you. They will de-construct your spin. They will remember everything you ever say for eternity.'

0xDEAFBEAD 3y ago

This is a purely selfish analysis though. You may be remembered as that person who argues about things -- but it could also be that the group is much better off due to your arguments. "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit"

pavlov 3y ago
A person who argues about things in a group is usually someone who cares very much about getting the credit for being right. The “amazing what you can accomplish” quote is about doing things indirectly and without ego — the opposite of pounding on with upfront arguments.
- haswell 3y ago
  > A person who argues about things in a group is usually someone who cares very much about getting the credit for being right. I think this is a bit of an overgeneralization. People also argue because: - They’re passionate about a given topic - They’re actually right about a consequential topic and find it worth standing their ground - Some people just really like to argue about things - not for the payoff, but for the joy of argument itself (see: debate) I’ve encountered the ego-centric “I just want to get credit for something” types, but I wouldn’t say this is always or even most often the case.

ChildOfChaos 3y ago

This is a really tricky one for me, particularly on reddit, I don't know why people post such stupid things online or have to argue with everything, but then sometimes I do wonder, how much they are just me, because I get enraged with what they say and end up arguing back. So am I any better than when I do that? and I don't want to be that person, so I need to learn to let it go, but outrage is a hell of a drug.

hnfong 3y ago

You're doing it wrong. You gain nothing by winning arguments. It's when realize you were wrong and the other side passionately tears apart your argument is when you learn the best. Most people don't know how to learn from being wrong on the Internet, but for the those who do, they also might have something to gain when I'm right. I don't know why some people think "the sort of person who argues on the internet" is some kind of low life. There are those who don't dare to argue, there are those who are irrationally afraid of being wrong, there are those who have lost passion for anything worth making a stand, and there are those who overly worry about what others would think of them. These people don't argue on the Internet, and I don't want to be any of those people. That said, choose your battles. But don't be a coward.