memes

I know this is a meme but I think people look down on internet discussions too much. Obviously it depends on "arguing" type but reddit/lemmy is at least somewhat structured and depending on the community can be good faith and productive. For people who don't live in a big city finding a community to exchange more niche thoughts and opinions (e.g. operating systems, design decisions etc) is incredibly difficult.

I have a related anecdote of being an assistant to older people in IT classes and intellectual starvation is a very big deal. Once people settle down, move further out of the city it's hard to find discussions on their interests without internet comments. The real issue is Facebook groups which are often the only forums available to these people, and they are not fit for scratching this itch for intellectual stimulation as it's design precisely for the opposite of that. This might sound silly, but old people need Lemmy.

Its my crack I can't stop coming back to all while hating every second of it

To be fair, when you try it in person, they're all "Who are you? How did you get in my house? I'm calling the cops!", then it's no fun at all.

It’s my favorite hobby.

At this point, every comment on Lemmy is greeted with angry responses who are willfully choosing to ignore the point I was making and try to fight me.

If I say “I like dogs” someone is going to come along and tell me I’m a jerk for not liking cats even though I didn’t say I don’t like cats. That or someone mansplaining dogs to me.

Calm down Lemmy. Take a breather.

Oh, I'm about to argue with one right now you little dumbass

Of course it was.

They were wrong. How are they going to know they are wrong if no one tells them?

Hello, fellow stranger online!

Absolutely. There’s way too many blithering idiots online. We made the web way too accessible to them back in the ‘90’s.

And if idiots don’t get challenged, you run the risk of them thinking they’re actually right. And that’s very, very dangerous.

I will admit the only reason I attempt to verbally correct them is because I don’t have access to a Reaper drone to shove a Flying Ginsu missile up their ass.

what was i supposed to do, let people just be wrong online?

Yes, i was entertained for a while.

It's a hobby.

I think debating for fun has killed our ability to communicate as a species. Pushback becomes an ignorable stress since it comes with no real consequence. And it makes every conversation an chance to argue your point as if it must be a part of your identity to be protected at all cost.

I really dislike angry conversation without purpose.

There's a weird dynamic to arguing online, particularly when it comes to political topics. Most of the time, you won't convince your counterpart. Maybe some point sticks with them later and you'll never know, but either way they're not really the target of the arguments. It's the (potential) audience that the argument is supposed to be for: People less emotionally invested in the conflict may take away something useful from the arguments, people on the fence about an issue might come around to your point, and people sharing your opinion will see that they're not alone and feel affirmed.

Essentially, it's a performance on an public stage for the sake of discourse. Phrased strongly, you don't want "the other side" to dominate the public opinion, so you engage them. In the process, you may hone your own arguments, or you may find them wanting, perhaps even see them start to crack.