Is RIDICULE acceptable in online debating?

by nicolaou 80 Replies latest jw experiences

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  cofty

  I never attack or ridicule people. I often attack bad ideas and silly superstitions. I always try to do so with facts and evidence. Occasionally that may include some ridicule. That's never going to change.
  

  I am frequently the target of personal attacks by believers. I don't tend to whinge about it unless it includes false accusations.

  Believers often leave the forum for the same reason that JWs ban critics from pro-JW forums. They prefer to live in an intellectual bubble.

  FHN - I suspect that most of your posts are complaining that you don't like somebody's tone and taking offense on behalf of unnamed victims.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Ridicule is a bad idea, no matter who is doing it.
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  cofty

  We will have to just disagree about that.
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  FlyingHighNow

  I'm disappointed to see that people have not evolved beyond this tactic. Unless Simon calls people on it, I guess they will remain stagnant.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Believers often leave the forum for the same reason that JWs ban critics from pro-JW forums. They prefer to live in an intellectual bubble.

  
  You think only believers have left? You're sadly mistaken. Intellectual people don't usually feel the need to ridicule either people or ideas. Pseudo intellectuals, that's another story.
• 

  paulmolark

  Maybe some of what is being labelled ridicule only appears to be ridicule because this is not a face to face scenario. A number of the posts I read come across as being dogmatic or mean spirited when I am sure at times they were not.

  I am also aware that there are instances in which people are ridiculing someone, but they are only capable of doing so because they know hundreds of miles and an anonymous screen name separates them from being smacked around.

  I have ridiculed a person or two. However, it was usually based on something that I perceived to be them ridiculing me. Tit for Tat. Not adult behavior but I will dabble
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  Marvin Shilmer

  Intellectual people don't usually feel the need to ridicule either people or ideas.

  Bad ideas--ideas that are unsound or, worse, false--deserve to be pointed out as bad ideas, and should be pointed out as bad ideas.

  Reductiones ad absurdum often come across as ridicule. But this is an effective means of pointing out notions that should not be accepted because of unsoundness or falseness.

  But here's the BUT: Ideas that are bad can and often do lead to good ideas, which is why ideas--both good and bad--deserve discussion, and why folks should not take it personally, as though ridicule, when one of their pet ideas gets thoroughly chewed up and spit out. Folks who want to move thought forward are glad to have their ideas chewed on. They embrace it.
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  Marvin Shilmer

  Maybe some of what is being labelled ridicule only appears to be ridicule because this is not a face to face scenario. A number of the posts I read come across as being dogmatic or mean spirited when I am sure at times they were not.

  In what is essentially a text-only environment it is common to misunderstand honest questioning, testing and devil's-advocacy with ridicule. Every participant should realize this and accordingly refrain from presuming about writing style, questioning, and similar. Instead, ask questions and wait for answers. Let a person explain themselves.
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  millie210

  I appreciate your honesty in self appraisal paulomark.

  The inability of some to do that is a part of the whole I suspect.
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  LisaRose

  You think only believers have left? You're sadly mistaken. Intellectual people don't usually feel the need to ridicule either people or ideas. Pseudo intellectuals, that's another story.

  I agree. I sometimes feel the atmosphere here is very negative, and I do think of leaving. I do stay in the end, but I don't usually go into certain topics, and I am sure many others have left for this reason. I do not get the attitude of some posters, and I am an atheist.

  Most of us here were obviously JWs at one time, so why ridicule others for believing in God as you once did? You have learned critical thinking skills and are an Atheist now, good for you. Maybe others have not been out as long as you, or not had exposure to critical thinking as much as you, or have your intelligence. Does that make it OK to use your superior knowledge to ridicule them?

  If your intent is to change hearts and minds by this, then you have failed, imo. If your intent is to show off your superior knowledge, belittle others and so feel good about yourself, then yes, you have succeeded. It's easy to go for the cheap put down, harder to understand, feel empathy, and maybe help others to learn something, if not the poster then those who may be lurking.

  I get it, some believers are annoying, many have used tired arguments that have been used by others, and they aren't really interested in meaningful discussion. But for every one of these there are ten others who believe in God, but won't post or even stay and read the comments because you made them feel unwelcome here. I am not totally innocent in this, there are posters that push my buttons as well, but I try to be better than that.

  I am not aiming ths at any one poster, I like most people here and think they have good intentions, but I do think some comments cross a line. It's not something unique to this board, it seems to be an internet staple these days, last night we had a flame war on Next Door (a neighbor to neighbor social network). But please keep in mind many readers here have recently left an abusive religion, they may be still recovering from this, they don't need to be made to feel stupid because they still believe in God.