It is true that people can and do behave differently online to irl. In the matter of debates it is especially common for people online to employ troll tactics- attacking the messenger and thereby seeking to avoid the substance of the topic. Or simply making absurd and irrational 'arguments' in order to antagonize the respondent. However I do not agree it is always pointless to respond to the trolls. On the matter of The Greater Israel Project, here on SNs there has been a high degree of negative response- ranging from people ignoring the topic to people actively and very energetically seeking to silence the topic (with downzaps) and then those who simply seek to dismiss the topic, without exploring it. I find the reaction to topics raised informative. The response often tells us a lot about the thinking and biases of the community. Those passively or more aggressively asserting any dialogue about the war is pointless demonstrate a degree nihilism and passive aggressive inhumanity. Those determined to downzap any mention of the war and The Greater Israel Project indicate an awareness that for the issues to be discussed represents a threat to their world view and biases. I enjoy debate both irl and online- and while the crude attacks some make in response when their prejudices are challenged can be confronting it is helpful to remind yourself that their responses are theirs and they say more about them than anything else. Their desperation to avoid topics such as the war in the middle east and The Greater Israel Project that is arguably in large part causing it, shows them to be insecure, possibly religiously bigoted and certainly cowardly individuals hiding behind or at least determined to ignore blatant tyranny and mass murder. When respondents pull out all the stops to avoid respectful open and reasoned dialogue and debate they reveal themselves as cowardly sympathisers of tyranny and enemies of freedom and truth. Revealing that by engaging with them is not always pointless, but rather may sometimes be the most you can do to expose them and to raise awareness of the issues generally. The fact they are so afraid of the facts and issues being discussed in a reasonable manner highlights the very importance of and need for the topic being discussed. Do not be silenced by the trolls.
It is true that people can and do behave differently online to irl.
In the matter of debates it is especially common for people online to employ troll tactics- attacking the messenger and thereby seeking to avoid the substance of the topic.
Or simply making absurd and irrational 'arguments' in order to antagonize the respondent.
However I do not agree it is always pointless to respond to the trolls.
On the matter of The Greater Israel Project, here on SNs there has been a high degree of negative response- ranging from people ignoring the topic to people actively and very energetically seeking to silence the topic (with downzaps) and then those who simply seek to dismiss the topic, without exploring it.
I find the reaction to topics raised informative.
The response often tells us a lot about the thinking and biases of the community.
Those passively or more aggressively asserting any dialogue about the war is pointless demonstrate a degree nihilism and passive aggressive inhumanity.
Those determined to downzap any mention of the war and The Greater Israel Project indicate an awareness that for the issues to be discussed represents a threat to their world view and biases.
I enjoy debate both irl and online- and while the crude attacks some make in response when their prejudices are challenged can be confronting it is helpful to remind yourself that their responses are theirs and they say more about them than anything else.
Their desperation to avoid topics such as the war in the middle east and The Greater Israel Project that is arguably in large part causing it, shows them to be insecure, possibly religiously bigoted and certainly cowardly individuals hiding behind or at least determined to ignore blatant tyranny and mass murder.
When respondents pull out all the stops to avoid respectful open and reasoned dialogue and debate they reveal themselves as cowardly sympathisers of tyranny and enemies of freedom and truth.
Revealing that by engaging with them is not always pointless, but rather may sometimes be the most you can do to expose them and to raise awareness of the issues generally.
The fact they are so afraid of the facts and issues being discussed in a reasonable manner highlights the very importance of and need for the topic being discussed.
Do not be silenced by the trolls.