Would you rather have a discussion with someone with whom you agree or with someone with whom you disagree??

Irwin said:
A lot of people use "alternative facts" when debating, that is, facts with no basis in reality. I have no desire to hear anything they have to say. And those are the people who will start screaming and calling you names if you don't agree with them. They're completely irrational.

That said, I'm all for hearing apposing viewpoints when we agree on the facts. I've been known to change my mind occasionally when someone makes a good point or provides some information I wasn't aware of.
Click to expand...
I have one close person with whom I refuse to discuss ANY politics..it is not worth our relationship to discuss politics because they are not reasonable and tend to raise their voice and become very 'judgy' so I just refuse. Interesting we get along and very well on almot everything else..
 

For me it depends on three things

1. The person I'm having the conversation with
2. The reason for the discussion
3. The topic of the discussion

For people I think one of my favorite quotes sums it up.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” - Harlan Ellison
 
Serenity4321 said:
I was thinking mostly about politics and understand we are not to discuss politics here, so the answer can be about any subject. I am on a political board where the majority usually have the opposite position than I have. While it's great to discuss with someone with whom I agree because I often learn points to strengthen my position, I actually prefer to discuss with those with whom I disagree. It challenges me and either strengthens my beliefs or makes me reconsider my arguments.

Discussions can become heated but as long as they are not abusive I like them. I started political boards years ago and in the beginning I used to become very emotional. I finally figured out it was a terrific opportunity to practice self control and tolerance without reacting so very emotionally. After years of going to boards, I do not react as strongly to disagreements or even harsh comments as I used to and I appreciate others opinions that much more. Don't misunderstand - I can still become pod..but not as much as I used to. :)
So I wondered how everyone else felt about this...TY
Click to expand...
For me it depends on the subject matter. Sometimes some pretty good discussions can be had. Some topics are just super sensitive. I am very passionate about arguing. I don't like it but once you get me started. *SMH* I usually have to walk away to keep from accidentally saying something bad.
 
I woud rather have a group discussion with people who have various opinions, but on a face to face basis. I avoid "discussions" on a one to one basis with someone whose ideas are so entrenched, there is no grey area. In those cases, I say to the person, let's agree to disagree and just exchange thoughts.
 
Serenity4321 said:
I was thinking mostly about politics and understand we are not to discuss politics here, so the answer can be about any subject. I am on a political board where the majority usually have the opposite position than I have. While it's great to discuss with someone with whom I agree because I often learn points to strengthen my position, I actually prefer to discuss with those with whom I disagree. It challenges me and either strengthens my beliefs or makes me reconsider my arguments.

Discussions can become heated but as long as they are not abusive I like them. I started political boards years ago and in the beginning I used to become very emotional. I finally figured out it was a terrific opportunity to practice self control and tolerance without reacting so very emotionally. After years of going to boards, I do not react as strongly to disagreements or even harsh comments as I used to and I appreciate others opinions that much more. Don't misunderstand - I can still become pod..but not as much as I used to. :)
So I wondered how everyone else felt about this...TY
Click to expand...
"I love it when I can find anyone who agrees with me on almost any topic", so I've a view balanced between my avid desire to rise to face a challenge in a debate, and the potential benefits it might bring as you often try to refine your arguments, and the sheer satisfaction of not having to do that sometimes :) !

"Do you agree with me"?
 
Sassycakes said:
I had a very intelligent friend who sadly passed away. I loved having conversations with him about anything because he always took the opposite side and they made very interesting conversations.
Click to expand...
You do have to watch those "very clever people" sometimes, I listened to one such professional person deliberately argue opposing positions concerning whatever it was being discussed, and so convincing was he I could happily have supported him on either side of the argument, so persuasive was he, as I've said, so that's a bit frightening isn't it! :( :)
 
Last edited:
Rosemarie said:
Have you ever been able to change someone's mind about something?
Click to expand...
If that a question to me, then I'm not sure is the fairest answer, BUT years ago, when I took part in my first debate on any online forum, (you've guessed it concerning fathers/parents rights!), I did uncover someone who stated they felt contact with their father might have prevented others abusing them as a child, so this made up for all the opposing views I'd uncovered, particularly from a guy called "Dave" who seemed to take my question relating to an Oxford university paper suggesting contact with a non resident dad might protect a child, as a personal attack upon him as a stepdad :( !
 
I used to have lots of arguments with a friend about horse training. We were both passionate about it and trained our horses. In spite of disagreeing, it was wonderful to have someone else with the same interest, so for that situation probably someone with different ideas was the more interesting choice.
For politics it depends on whether it is rhetoric and emotions versus thoughtful discourse. I attended some Zoom meetings of an international political group where each person was encouraged to explore their political thoughts and they had a website application that members were encouraged to write up to 26 prioritized issues with solutions they support, and the more people had the same issue/solution the more points that issue/solution would get. I loved their discussions when educated informed people presented an idea/solution and others gave their thoughts, but there were a few not well mannered (or anyway, lacking in self control) people who would monopolize the conversations and try to turn other people's presentations off onto their own pet idea. I really ought to go back and join that group because I learned about so many things I had never thought about and the solutions that people are really pursuing. Now a few times I'll read something in the news and I'll recognize the issue/solution.
 
HoneyNut said:
I used to have lots of arguments with a friend about horse training. We were both passionate about it and trained our horses. In spite of disagreeing, it was wonderful to have someone else with the same interest, so for that situation probably someone with different ideas was the more interesting choice.
For politics it depends on whether it is rhetoric and emotions versus thoughtful discourse. I attended some Zoom meetings of an international political group where each person was encouraged to explore their political thoughts and they had a website application that members were encouraged to write up to 26 prioritized issues with solutions they support, and the more people had the same issue/solution the more points that issue/solution would get. I loved their discussions when educated informed people presented an idea/solution and others gave their thoughts, but there were a few not well mannered (or anyway, lacking in self control) people who would monopolize the conversations and try to turn other people's presentations off onto their own pet idea. I really ought to go back and join that group because I learned about so many things I had never thought about and the solutions that people are really pursuing. Now a few times I'll read something in the news and I'll recognize the issue/solution.
Click to expand...
I used to attend a debating group or society in my local town a couple of years ago before it closed down due to lack of support. One reason it may have lost support was one individual, a young woman, who seemed to think the debating room was her own space to dominate, and we clashed so often it became embarrassing, (her voice was a monotonous drone in my view too, and you never knew when she'd finished whatever it was she was saying, so I learnt not to try to speak until someone else in the group had taken over the conversation from her, or debate).
The organiser had run the group voluntarily for about five years, and did a very good job generally, but perhaps recognising the destructive side of this "queen bee" lady a little earlier, might have helped prevent so many other female members leaving.
Btw I felt when the sexes in the group were about even the level of debate on whatever topic was much more agreeable, and some members who took the trouble to research the scheduled topic, (I didn't!), had many useful things to say. One other young woman told us of her experience going to a "spiritual speed dating event" in Manchester, so that was fascinating, just to learn such things existed, and others in the group brought along ever so cleverly written poems on the topic of the day! :)
 
Last edited:
OneEyedDiva said:
It depends on the person, what we are discussing and the way they communicate their points.
Click to expand...
Returning to the political sphere, but only obliquely, I once met a politician at my place of work and asked him whether he could persuade others he was speaking to to change their minds, as I found I struggled to achieve this? He said he believed he could, and his articulate, confident, and relaxed manner meant I was convinced he really had a gift in this regard. :)
 
grahamg said:
"I love it when I can find anyone who agrees with me on almost any topic", so I've a view balanced between my avid desire to rise to face a challenge in a debate, and the potential benefits it might bring as you often try to refine your arguments, and the sheer satisfaction of not having to do that sometimes :) !

"Do you agree with me"?
Click to expand...
I would agree with you!
 
Linda said:
I prefer to talk to people who agree with me usually. I don't mind hearing the other side of the story but too often I run into people who are just trying to convince me of something. I especially detest this when it's regarding politics or religion. A lot of people will ask what a person's religious beliefs are, not because they care, but because they want to convert you to their religion.
Click to expand...
I completely agree.
 
i can be as disagreeable as the next person. you don't have to agree with me. don't tell me i'm wrong just cuz our opinions aren't the same.

if i'm flat out wrong about something... TELL ME... EX: if i claim that 2 + 2 = 5. you can even pile on, especially if you know me for the math geek that i am. don't go trying to tell me you can put MAYO on a Philly hoagie... cuz that's just wrong! :sneaky:

i try to be as open-minded as possible, but occasionally a few marbles bounce out!
 

Would you rather have a discussion with someone with whom you agree or with someone with whom you disagree?​


Definitely the ones I agree with, the others are thick and don't have a clue, I think. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top