Thread: Debate

Why do people in general feel the need to debate things? (<< That's the question to answer)

(vv My opinion VV)

I understand some people enjoy debating, in that it is even in colleges and universities under debate teams that go against other teams. Debate is also used in political races to show a face of politicians that may not have been otherwise revealed. But my main focus of this thread is why do people feel the need to hold debates where they think they're right, and that the other side can't be right, and no matter how much debate happens, they won't budge, particularly religious debates. Another example is here on the forums, from the few bits I've read, the people who start the debate seem good-hearted enough, but there's occasionally someone who will enter in the debate and fling their large bulbous opinion around like it's law and, keeping within the rules enough to not get in trouble, bash those who oppose them. To me that's not a debate, that's more someone bashing someone else with their biased opinion. (yes, most all opinions are biased.)

I don't look upon debates such as that as good, or even something I'd like to join, even if it's a subject relative to me, such as gay rights. I find I'm not the kind of person who will start a war, and I'll even back out of battles that are fought for my benefit, if I don't think they'll be prosperous. The general feeling of fighting, being in conflict with someone else, be it physical or verbal, just irritates me. I don't like conflict at all, and debate can very easily lead to conflict.

I understand most debate as a means of expressing opinion, especially to those with a different opinion on the same subject, and if kept in good manner, it can be something where both sides have mutual gain from the debate. But my main issue with debate is not that, it is when it turns into a flame war, or a one-sided opinion bashing that people so seem to love doing. Why do they love doing it so much?

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