It's been a long time and I had forgotten why I stopped doing it

[Fumesucker]

Arguing with conservatives I mean...

So against my sober better judgment I went over to Discussionist and made myself a screen name and plunged in, started arguing with the other side.

It's too easy, if you're reasonably good at this stuff and have your facts, rhetoric and snark down pretty well after a while the replies start slowing down and eventually they come to nearly a complete halt.

That's the way it used to play out back in the day when I could find a conservative site that didn't automatically ban liberals. Currentevents was one of my hangouts for while and it got to the point I could post almost anything no matter how inflammatory and not get replies from conservatives. I posted for a while at Reihlworldview too and basically the same thing happened there, conservatives just stop replying to you if you're not nasty and stick to facts, logic and maybe a little snark to lighten things up. There were more sites I went to but those are the two I can remember for sure the names of.

It's kind of fun for a while but it's a bit like pulling the wings off flies, it feels a bit cruel to taunt people who can't really fight back. I guess that attitude is why I'm a liberal and not a conservative, they'd never say something like that.

[quinnox]

1. Welcome to the party, pal

[awoke_in_2003]

12. That movie...

is much more fun than that website

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I too have an account there.

I kept my name, and I am having a pretty good time, talking to all manner of people.

Everyone has been courteous and mostly friendly, so far, to me.

I'm staying out of arguments. I'm not there for that.

What I've seen so far is that many if not most of the Republicans want to be able to calmly discuss the issues we all care about. They want a meeting of the minds. I'm all for that. They want to find common ground that we can all agree on.

Sounds good to me.

Plus I like the layout, the colors, the way things look.

It's fun getting in on the ground floor and watching it evolve.

[Fumesucker]

4. I've seen you, you've probably figured out who I am. You are your usual beautiful self.. :)

I can't help but argue, it's a compulsion for me.. But I keep it out of the realm of the personal and do try to be reasonably friendly.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. I haven't yet figured out who you are, sorry!

Arguing is a good thing. I just (mostly) don't have the detailed facts you need to really do it right. So I stay away, and just read.

[Fumesucker]

6. I used the same artist for my avatar there as here

That should be a big enough clue..

I'd like to keep the two personas separated to some extent so I'll say no more.

[awoke_in_2003]

9. Anyone who isn't courteous to you...

is obviously a troll. I have never seen you be rude to anyone.

[Louisiana1976]

3. I also have an account on Discussionist.

I'm having fun. Haven't gotten into any arguments.

[Control-Z]

7. I've been posting there too.

For me, it has been no replies whatsoever if I just post the truth. If I post the truth with a little snark I get repulsive responses. Mostly, it's been ugly except for two conservative responses so far (over 100 posts) - people willing to discuss a subject in civil fashion. Mostly it's just been a lot of trashing DU. Sigh.

[DeSwiss]

8. Alarm Clock.

K&R

[awoke_in_2003]

11. I work second shift...

cannot get to bed before 2am, have to be up before 8am to get granddaughter to school, and fully agree.

[DeSwiss]

13. !

[defacto7]

10. Sorry people...

I find it boring as hell. I signed out yesterday and don't intend to sign back in.

Party pooper me.

[1000words]

14. All this time, I thought you possessed a more refined intellectual prowess.

I'm so disillusioned ...

[rock]

15. I suggest NOT arguing with people that make up "facts"

If all they have is falsehoods, you will spend a lot of time spinning your wheels to counter them. And to what purpose? They won't believe you!

[randome]

16. I would like to try it and I bet I'd be good at it.

But I don't want to spend the time right now. Thanks for the insight, though!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Precision and concision. That's the game.[/center][/font][hr]

[Bluenorthwest]

17. I assume those who have a tooth for such encounters have not had much real life reason to

engage with the right wing. I assume them to be the folks who stayed home when they could have been lined up to confront the Tea Party attacks on the ACA townhalls, the people who never stood up to Fred Phelps or NOM, the folks who were not part of ACT UP, had nothing to do with any clinic defense or other pro choice activism.
I assume they hunger for that which in life they are too fearful to actually consume. But they look tough on a post modern message board I guess.

[CrispyQ]

18. I checked it out, new name, new avatar.

I visit once or twice a day. It will be interesting to see how it evolves.

The problem is that the left & right agree that we have problems & even agree on a lot of what those problems are, but that's as far as it goes. Our solutions are worlds apart & I don't know how you bridge that. They hate the social safety net, they hate it! They believe that taxing wealth is taking money from the rich & giving it to the poor, with never any acknowledgement that the rich are pilfering this country's wealth.

[JoePhilly]

19. Its a reminder of why this country is so hard to govern.

Almost half of all Americans think like they think. And while Dems bicker, these nuts vote in blocks.

I've never stopped going to other sites t debate them. Lots of people lurk and never post anything.

And they are the real audience.