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Originally Posted by Uncle Jessi

Why does it have to be about convincing the other person to change their views? If all you're doing is trying to show the other person why you're right, then you're ignoring any merit in what they are saying, and you're being ridiculous (not you, personally, just generally speaking). You should share your views, and learn something about someone else's. An exchange of knowledge and beliefs.

This doesn't mean that you can't try to refute what someone else says, of course. Growth can't happen without examining your views and being open to the fact that you may be wrong. I just think that debate for the sake of trying to "win", versus to actually seek out opposition and consider any possibility it may have to be true, is stupid. You have to be open to hearing out the other side, or you have no right to say that your belief is best. It's like saying that chocolate is better than vanilla, when you've never tasted it. Thus, people who enter a debate with the sole intent of "winning", rather than to learn something, never grow. Maybe chocolate will still turn out to be your favorite, but vanilla may be far less disgusting than you originally expected it to be.

Originally Posted by vampireonion

I was referring tot he fact most people get pretty butthurt and defensive about there beliefs. I've meant very few people whoa re open minded. Although I personally love debates such as this one, many people get angry. Like the saying goes, "Never talk about politics or religion."