Politics/Religion

Joined: A long time ago...

When talking about politics or other topics, people are too afraid of being wrong or disagreeing to even talk about anything. My girlfriend was in the car with a few friends, one of which as a Political Science degree. They started talking about the two major political parties, and one girl said they shouldn't talk about it because she doesn't know as much as the girl with the degree, and because of that she doesn't like to talk about politics with her.

Why are people so afraid of finding out that their arguments are wrong or have no basis? Why aren't people interested in talking with someone that knows more than them, so they can learn from that person?

Does anyone have any idea as to why, in our country, talking about issues and disagreeing is something that can only be done anonymously over the internet for the most part? Why is it considered bad manners to disagree and debate an issue?

Frequent punishments are always a sign of weakness or laziness on the part of a government. -Jean Jacques Rousseau

Joined: A long time ago...

Im in total agreeance with Gensanity. I love talking to people with more knowledge than me I feel enlightened almost. And usually when I get somewhat "owned" in a conversation I usually go on the net and begin to research and inform myself about that topic so that the next time I can come back with something to say and more established and well opinionated arguement.

I remember my friend was talking about turbochargers one time and I didnt know the mecanics of them. So I went and informed myself as much as I could about them, and pretty much everything else on a car and then when he brought it up again he got tottally owned. I knew when he was talking about them in the first place he didnt know anything about them, but neither did I so I shut my mouth. He had also talked about Spoon engines once, saying that they were inverted engines (imagine an engine, then flip it upside down), only for me to inform myself that all Spoon engines were was Honda/Acura engines built and/or tunes by a company called Spoon! Some people are idiots

Terra Flata

Joined: A long time ago...

I actually go out of my way to learn from people who know more then me, but for the most part avoid a "debate" type of converstation just because they usually become heated and people become stubborn. Its a real vibe killer...nobody like argueing with friends or in a car, or when you are just chilling.
The internet is actually a very funny place to debate politics because people can say completely wrong facts and they just dont have to look at the next post, and never have to realize that they have wrong facts. its the stubborn person's place to shine... mostly because people just come out with crazy rants and nobody is there to just say "shut your mouth man" while they are typing.
When it comes to somebody knowing more then you it is better to not debate but instead say "alrigh this is what i think, what do you think?" or "I dont know about this, tell me a bit about it" On this forum its too common to  see people debate on a subjects they have 0% knowledge of, but once they post they are too stubborn to even say they posted something that is false even if its up for everyone to see. Its like falling in a crowd and pretending it never happened.

Joined: A long time ago...

i usually keep a lid on my trap most of the time, but i like to voice my opinion too, and ever so often i get proven wrong. i just use that information learned on someone who else is oblivious.

Joined: A long time ago...

Socrates told a tale about how there were a few men in a cave for their entire lives. It's all they knew. They never knew of the outside world at all. Then one day one of them escapes and sees what the world is really like. he comes back to tell the rest of the men who upon hearing him stone him to death for blasphemy.

It's a lot like that really.