Over the course of this semester,
as we’ve learned about rhetorical theory and the difference between what is
argument and what is not, I’ve realized that I have a heightened sense of
awareness of these things now, in real life, more so than I ever have before.
Most prominent is argument on social networking sites. People have a sense of
anonymity online – they can be whoever they want to be, and that kind of power
is easily abused.
Recently I was on YouTube watching
a music video for a song that I had just become interested in. I have learned
over the years to stop looking at the comments section below, because there are
some people that start arguments just to start them. This group of
commentators was no different, attacking “new fans” of the band they so adored
and becoming defensive, casting them off with nothing better to say other
than “I’m right and you’re wrong because I knew them before you did”. God
forbid someone were to speak against
the song or have an opinion that differed from the majority, because that would be a whole other can of worms. No matter what, there are some people who would
jump down their throats with their one-sided and often one-track mind without listening like a
rational, mature person. The internet is full of close-minded, judgmental
people, and sometimes you have to accept that.
But it’s strange to actually be
conscious to how these online ‘debates’ are really just immature bickering back
and forth over topics that everyone there essentially cares about (like a common musical
interest). It’s as if people get so offended at the prospect of someone
disagreeing with them, and they automatically assume that means that they think
their opinion is superior, but that is often not the case at all. The key to having a
decent and meaningful discussion lies in the differences you have with people.
People are too quick to argue and say hurtful things as a sort of defense
mechanism. I know it’s probably a stretch for people, but if they were able to
come to terms with the fact that it’s more interesting to have a conversation
with people who differ from you, then maybe they would be able to take the time
to actually listen to the other people’s opinions and learn to respect them. No
one wants to talk to a parrot.
You're laboring under the assumption that the majority of people are interested in having a "decent and meaningful discussion" with someone who does not share their views. This is not true; both current research in psychology and the existence of Fox News and the Huffington Post demonstrate otherwise.
ReplyDeleteMost people self-select and find a group of people with whom they hold common values. If you fact-check someone's opinions and provide hard, scientific evidence that they are wrong, they will become even more intransigent in their position. For example, Obama's birth certificate did not convince Republicans and Tea Partiests; it instead made them even more vocal in their dissent.
But wait! It gets worse!!! The more intelligent someone is, the more likely they are to ignore your facts and dismiss you as an uninformed boob. So, how prepared are you to question those things which you consider "facts" or "truths"?
^^ You are annoying.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response. I will file it in the appropriate location alongside other other anonymous uninformative online feedback I have received over the past thirty-three years.
ReplyDelete