So many people only use the first three steps. Read the rest at Doghouse Diaries. Link -via Buzzfeed
Of course you should post with passion. Who wants to read boring, uninspired comments all the time? Besides, if we all did what the article says, the world would be missing out on the brilliance of our comments.
Back in the days of snail-mail letters, the author Isaac Asimov once described his method for dealing with particularly anger-inducing letters: dash off a enraged spittle-flecked response, holding nothing back, put the result in an envelope, seal, address and even stamp it, and then tear the whole thing up and write a civilized reply.
Many, many times I've put together an angry reply, read and edited it and then realised that I would just be opening myself up to a whole world of grief from responders to MY post, realising that I just didn't care enough about the subject to start up a flame war, however small. Not posting doesn't change my opinion, but that way I don't have to defend it to anyone and can sit smugly knowing that I'm right :o)
Anyway, I don't really think that posting too hastily is the problem. Apart from stupid people making stupid comments, imo the main problem is that people can't or won't admit that they were wrong or are unable to see things from a different perspective.
Has anybody ever felt they convinced somebody in an internet discussion? Never the less we keep doing it. :D
I usually skip steps 6, 7 and 8, delete my comment, and go rant about the unfairness of it all to someone on msn/facebook/phone/over a cup of tea at the kitchen table.
"Has anybody ever felt they convinced somebody in an internet discussion? Never the less we keep doing it."
Good point hmm. I will say in my case I've been made aware of facts that I didn't know before, and then later I can look at things a little differently. But when I'm in a flame war, it's kind of like animals flinging feces but instead of feces we use debating points and psychological tricks.
Has anybody ever felt they convinced somebody in an internet discussion? Never the less we keep doing it. :D
Good point hmm. I will say in my case I've been made aware of facts that I didn't know before, and then later I can look at things a little differently. But when I'm in a flame war, it's kind of like animals flinging feces but instead of feces we use debating points and psychological tricks.