Your debating style

[Jαckums]

As the title might imply, explain/detail your debating style and why you utilize it.

I thought it would be interesting to see some debaters' explanations of their own tactics and such.

[Mattus]

Sarcastic and reference-style. xD

Honestly I would be 5 times better if One Manga didn't get shut down. Now I'm too lazy to sit and wait while the slow manga streaming sites load. I go off memory now. If you want a link, tell me where to get it from, cause I don't know.

[sproxy]

Sure I'll bite :troll

I typically base my "style" around direct and logical reasoning. I typically dont try and think to deep into things but do when necessary. My so called "trolling" and "being a dick" is really sarcasm that most dont realize and think Im actually trying to piss them off when in fact Im either just turning words or making things colorful. Some people confuse adding pictures as "Flamebaiting" when they are more sarcasm to fit my own dry sense of humor not actually meaning to "piss" anyone off.
Although Im not above taking someones "anger" and using it against them when the time rises, but thats never my intention and anyone who actually gets angry on the interwebz needs to find a new hobby :troll

Other than that I normally just post to humor myself and add my 2 cents in then debate my point so long as I still see it to be the more logically accurate or seemingly correct point of view from my perspective. I just normally have a hard time putting my thoughts into words so I tend to type more than what is absolutely necessary to make sure Im understood.

Another thing I actually find myself doing quite often is posting to someone as they are posting to me mostly to humor myself. So personally I think the reason a lot of people can find my "style" to be abrasive is just because I copy words or sometimes unintentionally look down upon someones point if I dont find it to be accurate at all. I think people just get mad because they are already getting mad in the debate and hate to see their own words thrown at them and get aggravated then think Im just "trolling", "being a dick" or "being childish", then resort to actually saying thats what Im doing when Im merely copying how I get talked to in there. But hey thats just what I think :troll

*Now to sit back and wait for someone to tell me that Im wrong about my own debating style and intentions :relax:*

[Jαckums]

Sarcastic and reference-style. xD

Honestly I would be 5 times better if One Manga didn't get shut down. Now I'm too lazy to sit and wait while the slow manga streaming sites load. I go off memory now. If you want a link, tell me where to get it from, cause I don't know.This is accurate. Just sayin', this is probably how I'd sum up your style from my POV.


Although Im not above taking someones "anger" and using it against them when the time rises, but thats never my intention and anyone who actually gets angry on the interwebz needs to find a new hobby :trollDunno if this was aimed at anyone in particular, but I'll respond anyway.

I don't think anyone gets angry, aside from maybe CN. In my case, when faced with your 'style', I just sit there looking through your posts trying to pick out the parts relevant to the debate. The comments don't get to me or anything as such, they're just 'in the way', and I CBF debating around them constantly, so I'm like "w'evs, i'm out". That might be the intention, maybe? But yeah, figured I'd explain my stance on your style.

You're smart, and can debate well, I just don't agree with all of the remarks being necessary. Maybe it's the fact that I've been taught/grown up (through school, Tafe, etc) with a formal debating style, where excessive sarcasm and irrelevant-to-the-topic comments aren't allowed and that form of debate is considered "immature" (hence my frequent phrasing of 'like a ten year old'). Either way, that's my opinion on it, but I personally don't have any problem with it. Like you said, it is the interwebz, after all. :troll

[sproxy]

Dunno if this was aimed at anyone in particular, but I'll respond anyway.
Nothing I said there was aimed at anyone in particular.


I don't think anyone gets angry, aside from maybe CN. In my case, when faced with your 'style', I just sit there looking through your posts trying to pick out the parts relevant to the debate. The comments don't get to me or anything as such, they're just 'in the way', and I CBF debating around them constantly, so I'm like "w'evs, i'm out". That might be the intention, maybe? But yeah, figured I'd explain my stance on your style.
Theres actually not much that I say that isnt relevant to any debate Im in. Everything I say has a point and is usually relevant as far as Im aware. Maybe you could point me in the direction of where Ive made such a post?


You're smart, and can debate well, I just don't agree with all of the remarks being necessary.
Again as I said previously, most of the things I say in a debate are things that were or are being said to me at the time. I tend to try and "blend" in with peoples own words and phrases. So a majority (not always) of the time my "comments" are just comments that are or were once said to me by the same person. Again I typically try and blend is all.

That about sums it up.


Like you said, it is the interwebz, after all. :troll
Pretty much :troll

[Jαckums]

Nothing I said there was aimed at anyone in particular.

Theres actually not much that I say that isnt relevant to any debate Im in. Everything I say has a point and is usually relevant as far as Im aware. Maybe you could point me in the direction of where Ive made such a post?I mean the remarks on the opposition's debating and such. The parts I refer to as 'flame-baiting', whether that's the intention or whether it's just to make things more 'colorful', as you put it. I don't mean to say that you type entire paragraphs of irrelevant text. It's just small comments littered through your posts (not always, but it seems to be more frequent when you're debating certain members). It's just not what I consider necessary or 'good debating', but again, I guess that's just due to the slightly more formal style I've been taught. I have no problem with it, like I said, I just don't agree with it. To each their own.

[WhiteFang]

This thread is a very nice initiative for debaters to just come out and discuss how and why they debate the way they do. Maybe it will put an air of understanding around everyone, which is always a good thing.

Or maybe is it just me who prefers a discussion to an outright argument? :xd:

I try to be easy, conversational and descriptive in my debating style, in short. :p There are of course things I feel strongly about and in those cases my emotions do come through in a debate. Depending on who I'm debating though, I can still be agreeable. I tend to try my level best to keep a level of respect in my posts and not resort to petty insults. If it comes down to it, I also don't mind admitting my errors or in other cases, just plain walking out because I refuse to deal with the person (I'm not good with "attitudes" if you will). I do tend to lose my cool with outright ignorance, though. Views that are skewed and distorted... I mean I agree everyone is allowed to have an opinion when it comes to GC, but some just fall in my intolerable range at times.

[Jαckums]

I like to think I have a neutral-aggressive debating style. I rarely, if ever, debate defensively (eg. question the opposition's claims, make them doubt what they're saying, etc). Such a style is more Adam's cup of tea. I prefer to attack the opposition's arguments head-on, either disproving them with evidence where possible, or arguing against their points with indirect but supporting evidence.

Whether I debate with a neutral attitude (relaxed, more of a discussion than an argument) or an aggressive form is mostly dependent on the topic and who I'm facing. For example, I find my debating style versus Fang and Adam is almost always neutral, whereas when debating against members such as Dreamer and vane, I automatically take on the aggressive style to combat their, in my opinion, at times equally aggressive style.

Then there's the topic factor. I'll more than likely take on an aggressive debating style if the topic is something I have some sort of feeling towards. Eg. Sasuke-related topics- I'm more prone to embrace the offensive style of debate. One reason being because of the extra drive as a result of the topic being something I have a strong opinion on, and the other reason being because said topic is something I have an amount of knowledge on.

My use of the word 'aggressive' isn't to be mistaken for being "angry" or any sort of emotional stimulation, but rather, a style in which I aim to attack, break down and disprove opposing arguments swiftly with the use of various tools (sources, evidence, speculation with at least a degree of supporting evidence), and at the same time present my own arguments, backed by supporting evidence. I'll argue my point with force and confidence if I feel it is backed by enough evidence. If it's a slightly grey area, where there's suggestive evidence but nothing solid, I will argue it, but acknowledge that I'm not claiming I'm entirely correct. I'll concede points when proven wrong and have no problem admitting to my mistakes when pointed out.

Nothing really gets to me or encourages irritation/frustration, unless it's a very drawn out topic or debate (over months, per say) and the opposition is persistent in their argument, despite proof I may provide against it. This has only ever been the case on Sasuke-related topics back when TN was much more active and there was much more unjustified and bias anti-Sasuke hate going around. Other than that, there's really nothing that gets on my nerves. I've grown used to people displaying a degree of bias and my thoughts on that are basically "everyone has their own opinions, and if they're being bias, they're not going to admit it, so trying to convince them is redundant and ignoring it is the best way to go". Flame-baiting is more than common on the internet in general and is water under the bridge for me. Taking the bait is allowing the person flame-baiting to be successful in their, what I consider a cheap tactic. So the smartest move is just to either ignore it or laugh at their attempts. Distorted and narrow views, ignorance, (etc) similarly to Fang's case, I imagine would inspire some degree of emotional response in me. But not in regards to Naruto/a fictional topic. I personally haven't encountered such attitudes in the GC yet, but if it were on a real life issue I felt strongly about, I imagine such would be one of the few things that could inspire frustration in me.

All-in-all, I'd say my style is neutral-aggressive. I rely on evidence for my arguments. If I have nothing solid, but still something, and I believe I have a strong enough argument, I will argue it whilst continuing to acknowledge that I know I'm not 100% correct. I prefer not to draw things out, but rather be sharp and to the point, hence my lack of a defensive form of debate. I'll either discontinue interaction with you or ignore parts of your posts if you utilize excessive flame-baiting or any form of debating that I consider immature or cheap. I won't say I don't enjoy heated debates, as that would contradict how competitive I am, but I could word it as; I prefer a mature, aggressive/heated debate, and am also fine with a more lax, discussion-like debate.

And, I think that about sums everything up.

[Mattus]

Sure I'll bite :troll

I typically base my "style" around direct and logical reasoning. I typically dont try and think to deep into things but do when necessary. My so called "trolling" and "being a dick" is really sarcasm that most dont realize and think Im actually trying to piss them off when in fact Im either just turning words or making things colorful. Some people confuse adding pictures as "Flamebaiting" when they are more sarcasm to fit my own dry sense of humor not actually meaning to "piss" anyone off.
Although Im not above taking someones "anger" and using it against them when the time rises, but thats never my intention and anyone who actually gets angry on the interwebz needs to find a new hobby :troll

Other than that I normally just post to humor myself and add my 2 cents in then debate my point so long as I still see it to be the more logically accurate or seemingly correct point of view from my perspective. I just normally have a hard time putting my thoughts into words so I tend to type more than what is absolutely necessary to make sure Im understood.

Another thing I actually find myself doing quite often is posting to someone as they are posting to me mostly to humor myself. So personally I think the reason a lot of people can find my "style" to be abrasive is just because I copy words or sometimes unintentionally look down upon someones point if I dont find it to be accurate at all. I think people just get mad because they are already getting mad in the debate and hate to see their own words thrown at them and get aggravated then think Im just "trolling", "being a dick" or "being childish", then resort to actually saying thats what Im doing when Im merely copying how I get talked to in there. But hey thats just what I think :troll

*Now to sit back and wait for someone to tell me that Im wrong about my own debating style and intentions :relax:*

You're wrong. :troll

[NaruxHina_4_Ever]

My style

Slow and Ponderous
Firstly I like to debate all points arrayed before me
That is often why I think that people don't like my massive posts in which I debate every little detail I come across
Mostly I do that because in my past I have debated people who claimed I missed points etc
So I answer everything
Even if I have to repeat myself 30x in a thread

So if you debate me and feel I repeat myself
Just delete that repeat I don't really care, I really am a person who is hard to insult

Now I think my debating style is one that just tries to grind the opposition down
Never argue a point if you don't have a backup argument or two in the wings
Force your opponents to make claims they cannot back
If they find a chink in your armor then shore it up and keep moving forwards
If possible let them dig themselves holes and then use their own arguments against them
I am somewhat sceptical as well which is part of the reason I don't like to blindly accept some new things as true and my opposition to character statements as solid facts
They are too fleeting and too unstable to really base the kind of arguments I like around them unless the argument is relatively unimportant
I also like the idea of things being at least somewhat logical in their presentation (One of my main reasons for my opposition to Sasuke is this)
I prefer to have (even circumstantially) a logically sound argument behind my position

I tend to avoid open confrontation as well (sarcasm I sometimes do)
I mostly view flamebaiting and name calling to be a waste of time and space
I don't really get insulted when people bait me, I actually often get more amused as for a most people the sign that they are on the back foot is when they begin to abandon their arguments in favor of poor ad hominin attacks

[sproxy]

You're wrong. :troll
Good then I know my job is done
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll203/407boy88/1303697640106.jpg

================

Also Matt everytime I look at your sig my face goes all
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll203/407boy88/squirtle_hung_face.png

That chick 3rd from the left at the top. Maybe its the expression or something, but has a Casey Anthony look about her.

[Mattus]

.....

Ahh, I see what you mean xD Yeaah that is a weird one.

[Toastykins]

...Honestly, I don't think I have a debating style, so I have no idea how to describe it.

Well, I guess you can call me a bit of a style chameleon. I think it changes depending on the debate, the mood of the debate, and the debaters themselves. In other words, yeah - I don't really have a style :troll

Or, maybe I do have one, but it's not like I pay attention to it... I just... debate. And I only really debate when I feel I have something I can add or something I wanna say, anyway, so yeah. W/e.

[X-Drake]

Debating sucks...Just lay the smack down and leave...People here ain't people who accept facts and are 90% wrong....Yall know who you are!

[Mattus]

^^This. Except I don't know where to find said smack.

[Pokeaotics]

"Bad". I know I'm not very good because I have a terrible memory. I often forget things or mix things up so when I have something in mind and someone provides a link or something that disproves it then I just leave. That's because I read like 350 chapters in a couple days, instead of weakly like I do now, but it's the biggest problem in my debating and the biggest reason I don't debate very often.

Other than that, I get a little irked when people don't agree with common sense about something, no matter how much proof is used, so in the past I have resorted to insults and heavy sarcasm (I'm looking at you Vane). Fortunately these days I don't care as much so if a few more posts go by with the same things being said and the other person still being an idiot I Just leave. I usually use the same argument or thought for something so when that's not working I, again, leave.

I guess I'm not committed enough, but whatever.

[sproxy]

Other than that, I get a little irked when people don't agree with common sense about something, no matter how much proof is used, so in the past I have resorted to insults and heavy sarcasm (I'm looking at you Vane).

Are you implying that you've had something so proven and factual and I personally disregarded it even though you had "PROOF"? Because I'll call you a liar haha. Because theres never often "PROOF" in Naruto. Some evidence to use to try and help yourself in your debates. But not often "PROOF". So yeah if thats what your saying I call bullshit and you kind sir are a liar. If thats not what you meant then by all means have a nice day.

[Dreamer]

I had a feeling this thread would spiral in the opposite direction.

[sproxy]

I dont think its out of direction really. Im just wondering and questioning someone actually referring to me and wondering if thats what is being said or not. And adding that I dont argue against absolute PROOF which is how it sounds to me. But again, just questioning someones implications if any.

[Dreamer]

Wasn't directed solely at you. More so at the thread. Not a bad thing.

[Jαckums]

The thread appears pretty successful to me thus far. As long as Jet and Ryan's discussion doesn't turn into an argument. There hasn't yet been any negativity. Just friendly discussion.

[Dreamer]

Like I said, I didn't mean spiraling in the opposite direction as a bad thing per say. Instead of focusing on ones style, more friendly discussions about past experiences will sprout in its place and possibly lead to arguments (which might not be a bad thing either).

[Pokeaotics]

Are you implying that you've had something so proven and factual and I personally disregarded it even though you had "PROOF"? Because I'll call you a liar haha. Because theres never often "PROOF" in Naruto. Some evidence to use to try and help yourself in your debates. But not often "PROOF". So yeah if thats what your saying I call bullshit and you kind sir are a liar. If thats not what you meant then by all means have a nice day.
No no no, that's not what I meant at all. I meant that a couple years ago in a certain debate with you I got really pissed off and said some things that I shouldn't have. I mean, it was for that reason, but that's not why I brought it up. :P

[sproxy]

No no no, that's not what I meant at all. I meant that a couple years ago in a certain debate with you I got really pissed off and said some things that I shouldn't have. I mean, it was for that reason, but that's not why I brought it up. :P
Ooh alright I see now. I thought that entire part was being referenced towards me. But I see you meant just that sentence about the pissed part. I was just curious because Ive never been one to ignore or argue against absolute proof, which again is why I asked.

But as far as your debating, I never thought it was bad myself. I personally seen a little bias (which wasnt excessive) which isnt a bad thing, because face it, we all have some bias towards some characters. Your overall debating wasnt bad though. You had a point, you made your point, and you made it clear. Thats the main point that matters. Whether someone agree's with you or not doesnt matter much because again its all opinion based in most cases.

[Raikage's left hand]

If being correct is a style then i have that in spades

:troll

[TheYellowFlash10]

I like to flame people.
For real.