OT Poll:Reasons for (not) contributing the Political Thread

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:33 pm

The OT political poll is now up into triple digits on pages and thousands of messages. Dale has indicated that he'd like to keep the political stuff contained there.

So, why do you participate (or NOT participate) in that thread?

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:49 pm

Theorem: No adult changes their mind about politics or religion after reading something on the Internet.

Proof: The Political Thread and countless other such "discussions."

Corollary: You can't win an argument on the Internet and there is no point in trying to do so. It will only serve to shorten your life and cause aggravation when your cherished beliefs are not shared by others. Get over it. Everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to it.
+ Bill

P. S. I am glad that politics and religion are steered into that one thread. There has been a lot of threadjacking where people feel the need to express opinions on those subjects and it has ruined a fair number of otherwise coherent threads.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:51 pm

Chuck_Clark wrote:The OT political poll is now up into triple digits on pages and thousands of messages. Dale has indicated that he'd like to keep the political stuff contained there.

So, why do you participate (or NOT participate) in that thread?

With me, it varies, but one choice is true. I don't enjoy arguing.

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:58 pm

If people choose to argue politics and religion then so be it. Each to their own.
If however somebody should find that kind of thing boring or confrontational or whatever, then don't go there.
Seems simple enough to me...
Slan,
D.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:06 pm

I've been thinking about taking some time one day and reading the whole thing. Before it got condensed into one thread, (a good idea IMO) I used to keep up with some of the political OTs because I enjoyed reading a lot of the different views. I always got something out of 'em. but that thread got so big so fast that I lost track of it almost immediately. Now it's going to take a whole day and a ton of beer to get through the whole thing. Cindy is going on a sewing trip in a few weeks. Maybe I'll do it then.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:08 pm

BillChin wrote:
P. S. I am glad that politics and religion are steered into that one thread.

Me too!

There has been a lot of threadjacking where people feel the need to express opinions on those subjects and it has ruined a fair number of otherwise coherent threads.

Guilty as charged.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:23 pm

I like the political thread. If nothing else, I've learned how many different ideas and opinions exist in just this small community - no wonder we have so much trouble getting along in the world. The political thread has been informative, funny, sad, boring, interesting, and for the most part quite civil. And basically it's impossible to hijack it!

Susan

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:26 pm

blackhawk wrote:
There has been a lot of threadjacking where people feel the need to express opinions on those subjects and it has ruined a fair number of otherwise coherent threads.
Guilty as charged.

But, Blackhawk, you always bring interesting thoughts and a sincere voice to the table.

Jon-M · Post by **Jon-M** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:33 pm

susnfx wrote:I like the political thread. If nothing else, I've learned how many different ideas and opinions exist in just this small community - no wonder we have so much trouble getting along in the world. The political thread has been informative, funny, sad, boring, interesting, and for the most part quite civil. And basically it's impossible to hijack it!

Susan

Someone could always start sneaking something in about whistling!
Jon

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:38 pm

Jon-M wrote:
susnfx wrote:I like the political thread. If nothing else, I've learned how many different ideas and opinions exist in just this small community - no wonder we have so much trouble getting along in the world. The political thread has been informative, funny, sad, boring, interesting, and for the most part quite civil. And basically it's impossible to hijack it!

Susan
Someone could always start sneaking something in about whistling!
Jon

Kinda like the guy who went to the fight and a hockey game broke out?

lonewhistler · Post by **lonewhistler** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:42 pm

...I cast my vote for "I like arguing"

"Arguing" is not the word I'd choose, "debating" would perhaps be a better word to use. When it comes to serious discussions, I like to press people on their thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. Playing the Devil's Advocate is another thing I'm guilty of. For me, it all boils down to seeing if the person REALLY believes in what they're saying, rather than just spouting-out some re-hashed version of something they've heard from someone else. I never make a personal attack on someone just because of their views, at least not puposefully. I've never met any of you folks, so it would be unfair for me to make a personal judgement against anyone. This is, after all, just an internet forum...so I've got no need to lose any sleep over what someone has posted.
I am, however, taking a breather from the Political thread for now.

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:54 pm

I don't visit the political thread much. Most of those who rule it are on the 'other side' politically.
A whistlemaker has to keep his mouth shut most of the time on sensitive subjects - unless they reach a "boiling point" to bother me where I can't get any sleep. Fortunately, not too many things bother me that bad.

Do keep the thread though, it's like form of 'containment', that way the rest of the forum can talk about whistles.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 3:29 pm

I agree with everything Bill Chin said.

Also, much as I like to argue--and as convinced as I am that all of my opinions are fully justified, and that only the benighted, ignorant, or evil could possibly disagree with me--I tend to want C&F to be a place of friendship, rather than ideological coup-counting. As a result, I seldom even look at political/religious OT threads anymore, and hope to never participate in one again.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 3:40 pm

I answered the poll, but i lied.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 4:07 pm

The only reason i post sporadically on the political thread is because some times i get so angry about a piece of news (e.g.: the legal opinions saying that the President of the USA is above the law with regards of the use of torture) that i need to talk about it somewhere. Even if nobody is really listening. But this is rare. Getting emotionally involved in a political discussion here is a mistake, most of the time. For a while Jim Stone and Weekenders played out a very interesting discussion in that famous "political" thread, but that's rare.

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OT Poll:Reasons for (not) contributing the Political Thread

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