Thursday, March 05, 2009

Can I get a good arguement?

Recently I found a thing yahoo has, called yahoo answers. So I started to cruse around the site, it's basically a place where you can ask something, then have many people answer it over a period of time. Which is awesome in itself. Not sure about something? Ask a bunch of people, get an answer. Algebra, written works, Bigfoot hunting, (yes, someone actually asked the best place to go Bigfoot hunting) names of songs, even get opinions on the first part of your screen play. It's an awesome idea, and now I'm addicted. (Here comes the but) But, (there it is) it has its problems. Which tended to start where most problems start. In the religious section. Skimming through, finding things that strike my interest,(Like: Did Mary wear a mini skirt? and: why does everybody hate wiccans? so forth) I noticed something about the arguments being made. Frankly, they weren't very good. Most seemed to start with "I'm right" and end with "your wrong." (The rest were just the opposite.) I did find a few people who could put a logical sentence together, and make a good argument. Past those five (which I think come to one atheist, two witches, and an LDS.) no one could get a real point across. Most ended up with, God is good, Jesus is lord, your all going to hell. Good points, but usually not connected in anyway to the original statement. Which brings us to today's topic. (Bout time right?) What happened to real arguments? Ones where you learn something, or teach something. Not just shear contradiction. Those who know me, know I love a good argument, which is basically why I'm writing this blog. I've been know to take sides in an argument I know are wrong, win said argument, then explain why I was wrong. But I don't like to argue with myself. (Even though I often do. About anything, everything, and if I should be put away for arguing with myself.) But it's not something I'd do if I could find someone who would have real arguments with me. (Who am I kidding? Yes I would.) But honestly, with today's internet, books on tape, and popular science, it's not that hard to produce a good fact on whatever case your making. (especially in religion, which some so much written text.) Any for that matter, for a good argument to work, you have to know something about the other side. Which is probably why if I don't know something about it, I'm working towards finding a good source of knowledge, never heard of it to begin with, or consulting with someone that knows more then you right now. You can't say someone is wrong unless you've done a little homework. For instance, I'm not going to hell because I'm not a Christan. I'm going to hell because I worship a false god, and your god says it right here in "whatever part" of his book. (Of course, I've got some really good come backs for that, but that's a different post)(Oh, I'm sorry about all the religious stuff, but since it is the source of so many arguments, and what prompted me to write, I think I'll stick with it.) But to the original point here. Arguments are good for the betterment of mankind, but there not just saying "no it isn't" over and over. We're not five anymore. Learn something, then form an opinion, then find more facts to back up your opinions. I've been at it since I was ten, now I'm twenty and still working at it. I think it's time for someone to step up. I think this is a good place to stop. But for those of you who have children, or teach, or if your just looking to expand you own horizons. The art of the argument is a good lesson, and a better skill to have.