I'm sure glad DU is not like facebook

But they will won't tell me if they are paid per word or per rant!!

For example, in the Facebook world, creationists argue with evolutionary biologists, racists argue with those who have suffered racism, and fascists conflate authoritarianism with freedom.

There are so many people on Facebook who believe Fox News is "fair and balanced" and that the opinion of an ignorant fool carries the same weight as someone who has thoroughly studied an issue.

This happens to a much smaller degree here on DU.

In the years I've been on DU I've seen plenty of people change their minds, and I've changed my mind a few times.

Yes, there are plenty of single issue trolls and disruptors here, but they are easily ignored.

it's at those times I'm reminded of FB.

And that's not a flaw or a complaint. Someone driven enough to amass, synthesize and expound arguments that, to pick a DU example, HRC is really a right of center conservative is simply not going to listen to or internalize rebuttals. But the people seeing those charges, and rebuttals, who may simply think she's a bit more centrist than they would like perhaps, will see points portraying her as the second coming of Cheney and refutations making her out to be more liberal. Both disputants hope to either gain a new partisan or at least not let the opposite point of view stand unchallenged. If they are arguing to convince each other they are fools. I certainly don't argue against claims like that hoping to convince the person making wild accusations they are wrong. I argue against them so they are not the only voice even in a LW echo chamber and so they are not allowed to affect more persuadable readers without rebuttal.