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homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

of these circular debates? (also on Japan Forum)

You know the ones where clear facts are given and certain posters completely igonore them. I'm not talking about opinions; everyone is entitled to disagree. I'm referring to countless posts in which people are intentionally disregarding reality or are hopelessy ignorant.

anthyp · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 1320 Location: Chicago, IL USA

Can you please be more specific?

I know of very few threads in which actual facts are bandied about. Certainly, there are quite a lot of them in which somebody expresses an opinion, and then proceeds to back it with a tediously obvious, copied - and - pasted quote from a website. Is that what you refer to as facts?

I agree though, there is too much of the same in the General Discussion forum. And some of you just say the same things over and over again.

Hmm, I'm going back to China now.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

So as not to bore you, I will cite just one example. There have been several on the Japan Forum who refuse to except the fact that the Japanase Yakuza (mafia) commit crimes. This despite a wave of verifiable evidence.

----

Sorry, forgot to add (boring part),
There are those on the General Discussion Forum who claim the U.S. is nowhere to be found in Southeast Asia following the tsunami.

ShapeSphere · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 386

I do get bored and tired by the way some debates repeat themselves, but it's possible that some people missed it the first time around or want to talk about it again. If I don't find it interesting after having a quick read, then I just ignore it.

Regards facts, then yes they are bandied about sometimes without any full understanding, but some are irrefutable - 'London is the capital of England' is an example. But it is a simplistic one.

But in some debates I do notice certain characters who are incapable of a reasonable and civilised discussion, which is a shame as part of the demands of our profession - is the ability to be patient and a good listener. Moonraven is a prime example of a person who believes she sits upon a star while we are below in the gutter. If I encounter a person who is not prepared or unable to read one's views, then that debate becomes null and void, and again it's just best to move on and ignore these 'people'.

I know the people on this site who can have a laugh or debate with aplomb, wit & erudition - and that's where the best exchanges can be found.

Truman · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 50

I feel the same way. Many discussions just cover old ground over and over again.

I think the best thing to do is not respond. Just start other, more interesting threads.

AsiaTraveller · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 6:33 pm Post subject:

Atlas · Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 662 Location: By-the-Sea PRC

So you're saying there's a redundancy....

Anyway , it pays to acknowledge the difference between positive and normative statements.

Positive statements are those which can be ascertained directly by fact; they need not be true, only examinable. Paris is the capital of France. Balzac was French.

Normative statements are those which cannot be so readily observed. "Paris is a slough". " You are numbnuts."

While I really enjoy reading Dave's too many arguements are half-baked nonsense. Especially my posts.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

For those who need exact quotes:

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Maybe Bush doesn't watch tv, listen to the radio or read a newspaper.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

Let me help the lazy.

AsiaTraveller · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:27 pm Post subject:

Doh!

That single poster subsequently explained his comment as referring only to Bush and not other U.S. citizens.

And he was only one poster, so how could he represent "those" who (you claimed) ignored facts? Where are the others?

The only "fact" that homersimpson wants everyone in the world to acknowledge is that the U.S. is ALWAYS the most important, most powerful and most generous at everything. Any hint that this is not the case offends his patriotic (should we call it "blindly chauvinistic"?) sensibilities.

Please spare us your rants.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

homersimpson:

Is there a point that you are trying to make, or are you just creating another circular thread? Seems to me that you are doing the latter.

Why not actually pick a topic that might generate the kind of dicussion that you say you want to see? And then start a thread about it....?

AsiaTraveller · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 5:01 am Post subject:

homer,

I described the tenor of your posts quite adequately, based on every thread on which I've seen posts from you.

If you don't like the impression that readers get from your posts, surely you can fix that?

Smile