Just a quick note...

Administrator

03-29-03

...I know I have the reputation of loving a good debate. And I do. But I think I also come off, now and then, as loving argument for argument's sake. Believe it or not, I don't. Arguments are draining, at least on some level, and not generally pleasant. I argue more than most primarily because I feel an obligation to what I feel is the truth, and as such have trouble letting things I see as false pass by unchecked, or unchallenged.

Just thought I'd clear that up. We now return you to your regularly scheduled forum activity.

r3port3r66

My life isn't written very well.

03-29-03

Have you ever felt passionate about something you knew to be true, but it turned out that you were actually wrong? If so, what kind of person would it take, when debating with you, to sway your feelings that way?

__________________
I have been formatted to fit this screen.

r66-The member who always asks WHY?

Yoda

Administrator

03-29-03

I don't feel passionate about something until I've looked into it. If I haven't, I'm just inquisitive. I don't change my mind about things I'm passionate about too often because I don't become passionate about them without good reason first. It's kinda like asking someone "would you divorce if you were unhappily married?" The answer is usually going to be "yes, but I probably wouldn't marry someone I'd be unhappy with in the first place."

I guess you could say I don't "marry" an idea until I've gotten to know it well enough.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

03-29-03

"Arguments are draining, at least on some level..." - Commishy

No they're not.

__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Yoda

Administrator

03-29-03

Originally posted by Holden Pike
No they're not.

If your activity on here is any indicator, you don't get into them often enough to gauge that sort of thing.

Or, better yet: are too.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

03-29-03

There you go. "Are too" is the response I was lookin' for.

PROFESSIONAL ARGUER (John Cleese): Come in.

CUSTOMER (Michael Palin): Ah, is this the right room for an argument?

ARGUER: I told you once.

CUSTOMER: No you haven't.

ARGUER: Yes I have.

CUSTOMER: When?

ARGUER: Just now.

CUSTOMER: No you didn't.

ARGUER: Yes I did.

CUSTOMER: You didn't.

ARGUER: I did!

CUSTOMER: You didn't!

ARGUER: I'm telling you I did!

CUSTOMER: You did not!

ARGUER: Oh, I'm sorry, just a moment. Is this a five-minute argument or the full half-hour?

CUSTOMER: Oh, just the five minutes.

ARGUER: Ah, thank you. Anyway, I did.

CUSTOMER: You most certainly did not.

ARGUER: Look, let's get this thing clear; I quite definitely told you.

CUSTOMER: No you did not.

ARGUER: Yes I did.

CUSTOMER: No you didn't.

ARGUER: Yes I did.

CUSTOMER: No you didn't

ARGUER: Yes I did.

CUSTOMER: No you didn't

ARGUER: Yes I did.

CUSTOMER: No you didn't.

ARGUER: Did.

CUSTOMER: Oh look, this isn't an argument.

ARGUER: Yes it is.

CUSTOMER: No it isn't. It's just a contradiction.

ARGUER: No it isn't.

CUSTOMER: It is!

ARGUER: It is not.

CUSTOMER: Look, you just contradicted me.

ARGUER: I did not.

CUSTOMER: Oh, you did!

ARGUER: No, no, no.

CUSTOMER: You did just then.

ARGUER: Nonsense.

CUSTOMER: Oh, this is futile!

ARGUER: No it isn't.

CUSTOMER: I came here for a good argument.

ARGUER: No you didn't. No, you came here for an argument.

CUSTOMER: An argument isn't just a contradiction.

ARGUER: It can be.

CUSTOMER: No it can't! An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.

ARGUER: No it isn't.

CUSTOMER: Yes it is! It's not just contradiction!

ARGUER: Look, if we argue, I must take a contrary position.

CUSTOMER: Yes, but that's not just saying "No it isn't."

ARGUER: Yes it is.

CUSTOMER: No it isn't!

ARGUER: Yes it is!

CUSTOMER: Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of any statment the other person makes.

ARGUER: No it isn't.

CUSTOMER: It is.

ARGUER: Not at all.

CUSTOMER: Now look.

ARGUER: (rings a bell) Good morning.

CUSTOMER: What?

ARGUER: That's it. Good morning.

CUSTOMER: I was just getting interested.

ARGUER: Sorry, the five minutes are up.

CUSTOMER: That was never five minutes!

ARGUER: I'm afraid it was.

CUSTOMER: It wasn't.

ARGUER: I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to argue anymore.

CUSTOMER: What?

ARGUER: If you want to go on arguing, you'll have to pay for another five minutes.

- "The Argument Sketch", "Monty Python's Flying Circus"

Last edited by Holden Pike; 03-30-03 at 12:08 AM.

Sir Toose

Instrument of Pain

03-29-03

God gives us all talents, I do believe.

Yours is in clarity of vision and thought.

You are simply using what God gave you... why do you think most people have so much respect for you?

Yoda