When should you stop a discussion?

[Kung Fu Wang]

When someone responds to your thread, if you

- don't answer to it, people may think that you just ignore other's opinions.
- do respond to it, people may think you try to argue or trolling.

How to continue an online discussion and when to stop it can be a difficult choice expecially you don't even know who you are discussing with.

Any comment on this?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

When someone responds to your thread, if you

- don't answer to it, people may think that you just ignore other's opinions.
- do respond to it, people may think you try to argue or trolling.

How to continue an online discussion and when to stop it can be a difficult choice expecially you don't even know who you are discussing with.

Any comment on this?

I usually can’t stop. Especially when someone is just rude to be rude. Good for you for taking the higher road. I admire you for it.

 

[skribs]

I try to sway people to understand and agree with my arguments, not necessarily with myself.

• If I believe the other person doesn't understand my argument, I will try different ways to explain.
• If I believe the other person doesn't agree with my argument, I will try providing more evidence to convince.
• If I believe the other person is not acting in good faith, I will point it out, give them another chance. If they double down, I'm not going to waste my time with them.

For the longest time, I tried to treat people on MartialTalk and on Reddit sites like r/MartialArts with the same respect I would show someone in my school. Not necessarily the same level of etiquette ("yes sir'/"no sir"), but the same general attitude. However, what I found was that I was being walked all over in these discussions, because I wasn't getting the same benefit of the doubt as I was offering.

I still argue the points instead of the person (i.e. "that doesn't make any sense" instead of "you're stupid"), but I've found it much more enjoyable when I can block someone than get stuck in an argument.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Make your point. If there are questions about your position, answer them. If there is additional information, provide it. Then stop. Unless you just feel like arguing, or you're enjoying watching someone backpedal and try not to admit that they were wrong. Sometimes that's hilarious.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

“Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.”

 

[MetalBoar]

“Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.”

That is what's best in life.

 

[Jared Traveler]

“Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.”

Not everyone fighting you is your enemy, not everyone who helps you is your friend.
-Mike Tyson

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Not everyone fighting you is your enemy, not everyone who helps you is your friend.
-Mike Tyson

If you don't have enemy, you are nobody.

 

[Jared Traveler]

If you don't have enemy, you are nobody.

At the same time, if your enemy is someone on a talk forum..... You are nobody.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I try to stop posting in a discussion when I have nothing new to say that I haven't already.

If I think someone hasn't understood me, then I might try rephrasing my points more clearly.

If I have additional information or a different perspective that I think might be helpful and that someone might be interested in, then I may add those.

But if someone is unable or unwilling to get the point I'm trying to make or if they get it and just don't agree, then there's no point in repeating myself or getting worked up about it. I can't force anybody to agree with me. And if we all agreed on everything, what would be the point of having a discussion forum anyway?

 

[skribs]

And if we all agreed on everything, what would be the point of having a discussion forum anyway?

Because we might all agree that I am the arbiter of Taekwondo and you are the seer of BJJ, and together we are the supreme council of martial arts.

You might not know everything I do and I might not know everything you do, but once described we agree with each other.

 

[geezer]

When someone responds to your thread, if you
- don't answer to it, people may think that you just ignore other's opinions.
- do respond to it, people may think you try to argue or trolling.
How to continue an online discussion and when to stop it can be a difficult choice expecially you don't even know who you are discussing with.

These are problems I sometimes have have in face-to-face conversations, but not so much on this forum. Maybe it's because even though I'm glib and snarky in person, but I'm terrible with a keyboard and really slow at typing.

So, if somebody is being rude, dense, or just wasting my time on the forum it's easy to stop ...because replying is just too mush work!

 

[JowGaWolf]

Continuing a discussion - I have to understand why I'm participating and then determine if it's worth going the extra mile. In the past I would try to help people understand. After a few years it shifted to just wanting to post some reliable information out there. There's a ton of bad information out there on the Internet that is rotting society globally. So it's better for me to post reliable information when I can

Stopping a discussion - When I feel like I'm trying to sway someone to my way of thinking or when I don't know much about the discussion.

For me I follow the wisdom of "Know when to talk and know when to listen and always correct bad information especially if it comes from myself."

 

[Buka]

Well, I'll tell you one thing. When your wife gets that look on her face, end the discussion immediately, offering only "yes, dear, you're right" when prompted and only when prompted. Just shut the heck up.

Anything else if a fool's errand.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

if we all agreed on everything, what would be the point of having a discussion forum anyway?

When we discuss "non-contact combat", If we all agree that it is fake, the discussion won't go anywhere. It takes at least one person who believes that "non-contact combat" is real, the discussion can be continued.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

just wanting to post some reliable information out there.

100 years from today, you and I won't be here. If the forum information can be kept, At least we have left some information on earth.

 

[punisher73]

If I think the debate/discussion is beneficial and both sides are clarifying their points. When it gets to the point that points already made just keep getting brought up, I will usually say these key words....

"We can agree to disagree".


PS: If it just turns into a non-beneficial debate or name calling, I just will tell them I am not responding anymore and be done with it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

How many times have we seen that OP starts a threads. After many responds, the OP just disappear from the face of the earth?

A: Let debate on which MA style is the best.
B: ...
C: ...
D: ...
B: Where is A?
C: No idea.
D: The OP throws a bone at us. We just fight for that bone.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

A: You should never move your arm to cross your centerline.
B: When you throw a hook punch, your hand is crossing your centerline.

When A states his opinion. B's respond may sound like an attack on A's opinion. But if B doesn't say anything, it may sound like B agree with A.

It's hard for online discussion. If you make your point, you may offend someone. If you are afraid to make your point, why do you participate the online discussion for?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Have you ever experienced a thread like this?

A: This is ...
B: You should consider ...
A: This is "I teach and you learn" thread. Your opinion is not important here. If you want to say something, start your own thread.