Why debating with people rarely changes their viewpoint.
 

If you've ever been in a debate you've noticed the it is almost impossible to change someone's mind about something once it's made up. This has to do with bias.

YouTube - ‪John Green is an IDIOT! And so are you.‬‏

Once you recognize this phenomenon it's easier to avoid it yourself. However it is very difficult to change someone's opinion on an issue, even if science, evidence, and everything else is on your side.

I find it's even more difficult when you are arguing over the internet, because you can't see the other person's face, and can't hear their tone etc.

Hm and another problem with debating online is that often, people don't really... well, they know there's a human being on the other side of the computer screen, but they don't act like it because they're not constantly reminded. Which is one of the big things that annoys me about the internet in general.

That's why I never debate online. I also don't start fights or argue which, really, is what debates always wind up becoming anyway.

Well when you are in college sometimes you can get an intelligent debate going, but recently the only one I've had (especially when it comes to religion) was with my friend Marc. Most people just let bias get in the way.

Well, were I come from it's quite the opposite XD
It starts out as a seemingly reasonable and intelligent debate but almost always winds up a shouting match and people calling each other 'F***ing idiots' among other things >.>
Especially when those of the male persuasion are involved. Actually, the swearing and yelling only seems to happen when guys are involved 0.o

If everyone had the same viewpoints as everyone else, don't you think that the world would be even more worse off then it already is? I mean, I don't agree with people with certain points of view but most of those that I've debated with have had their information and backed it up.

Everyone is going to be biased to some degree, if it's me, two posters up, or the lurker that's reading this thread now. I guess that's how things are.

A bias is not a point of view though, it's an irrational attachment to that view. If I show irrefutable evidence that someone is wrong, and they keep trying to say they're right, then they're acting well... crazy.

Same if I do the same thing.

People have their own beliefs and are going to stick with them no matter what you may throw at them. I personally think it's interesting to hear other people's view points even though I may not agree with them. Some topics it's just hard to calmly debate with someone without them being biased since topics like religion, really have no right or wrong answers.

Ignorance and biased "facts" based on that is what annoys me. When people won't even read or listen to your side of the debate then I don't get why the person is bothering to debate the topic to begin with.

They're not debating at that point. They're just arguing. And yes, it is very annoying.

People have this tendency to respond to someone's argument with basically: "Well you're wrong, and I'm gonna tell you why, while ignoring most of what you've said and focusing on the one tiny semantic detail, which I can attack, and then accuse you of being ignorant or defensive."

If someone is simply stating what they believe, or simply questioning why I believe what I do, then it's fine. It's debate. But when someone just says that I'm wrong for my beliefs, and attacks me, that's just being rude.

Yeah, debating is not the same thing as arguing despite what some people may think.

It's frustrating to try to calmly explain things when all someone wants to do is focus on a small thing that really has little to do with the main point of the debate. When it's online, it's easier to take things defensively. That's one reason I tend to shy away from the debate forums.

lol. I can't help myself. I have some kind of complex. XD

You do seem to have your opinions which isn't a bad thing. :P

Why thank you. :)

I was recently told by a friend of a friend that, and I quote "Thinking you're right about something is just ignorant."

...that phrase hurt my brain. I mean thinking only you can be right about things is ignorant, but... ouch... my brain.

Sometimes bias can lead to a certain point of view, though, even if there's facts to state otherwise. Example: even if someone shows me evidence that there's something wrong with Point A, if I believe it enough I'll still continue to believe Point A even thought Point B is more correct. It's what I believe in, it's what I think -- it may not be true, there may not be all the facts to back it up, but it's just a point of view.

And I do agree with Mystic: there are topics where there isn't any clear cut right or wrong, where bias sticks out like a sore thumb.

I love this video. <33 I think it's very true and it takes a LOT to overcome bias. My dad told me that "war-gaming" the situation while killing your emotion helps a lot... But there are some things (especially if you learn them as a child) that are hard to overcome. ; -;!" Has anyone else heard of war-gaming?

It refers to a sort of logical approach to things. such as when one is playing chess. You don't plya with emotions, you play with pure logic... or you lose.

Yeah. xD Like "best casinario, worst casinario, what to do about either, and go."
I hear a lot from my dad how decision making is ABSOLUTELY NOT the place for emotions.

A debate is an act where everyone has equal say... no one really wins or looses, they just get told. Thus, ideals are not changed.

An Arguement is where someone wins, when someone wins and ideal is changed. That is why couples argue, not debate.

There are actually many forms of debate, including competitive debate wherein there is in fact a winner.

Debate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And debate on a personal level is and always shall be an effort to change or expand the other person's viewpoint. Otherwise there is no point in talking at all.

Well, it highly depends on the person one's debating with, but yes, often once someone's made up their mind, that's it!

I myself try to be more open-minded and see things from both sides, with the exceptions of a few core religious/moral beliefs. This however leads me to the issue of over-compensating. Some times one side is wrong, and one side is right, and I give too much leeway to the wrong side.

Not as common as an issue however;
And honestly, if someone is being civil, and their decision/belief doesn't effect me, I don't care so weather they are swayed by my debate or not XD

Actually, it depends where you argue. There are forums out there with a close knit community where they will argue. Though their entire view point might not change, they gain a different perspective and so on.

Sometimes reading debates online can be interesting because it will force me to think about the issue with a different perspective. However, most of the time I find that because it's largely anonymous, debaters don't have a whole lot of respect for each other. People tend to go into a debate thinking the other person is a huge idiot and that they have to save them from their false beliefs by "winning" the argument. But if you're debating with some who constantly belittles you and your opinion, then you probably wouldn't want to concede that they're right even if they're making valid points.

The most successful debates I've been involved in are those with people whose opinions I respected, even if I didn't agree with them. By the end, I'd like to think everyone involved came away with a richer understanding of the issue, even if their core beliefs were largely unchanged.

Another problem with online debates are people who argue simply for argument's sake, but trolling is a different issue. :lol:

I will say for one, at least for the most part, mene's community tries to hold fair debates without trolling or namecalling ^.^

I hope you never try debates on Gaia. People get vicious. -_- if you don't agree with someone and put your own opinion in? BAM...name calling begins and it turns from debate to insults back and forth.