An invitation

[carpedm9587]

So - I have said more than once that one of my primary reasons for being back on TWeb is political - I felt I was too much in my own bubble on my Facebook page. So, turn around is fair play. If any of you are on Facebook, and you'd like to join some of the political discussions on my facebook page, you would be welcome. It would be a delight to have voices from across the political spectrum instead of just one side or the other.

You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/mlucagilbert

I only have one rule on my page: keep it about the issues and treat the PERSON respectfully. Be an advocate for your views, argue passionately, be clear what you think about the arguments, but I won't tolerate trolling or disrespect of people.

Hope to see you there.

[One Bad Pig]

[carpedm9587]

OK - that made me chuckle...

I have to admit that I notice a trend. In general, the left and center appear to be far more ready and willing to escape their bubble and explore the "other side" than the right. I have to wonder why that is?

[Zymologist]

I'd be happy to add most anyone on facebook, but I don't take part in any political discussions and either post about sumo (Surprise!) or some random stuff that I find funny (which no doubt just has most people scratching their heads).

[Zymologist]

OK - that made me chuckle...

I have to admit that I notice a trend. In general, the left and center appear to be far more ready and willing to escape their bubble and explore the "other side" than the right. I have to wonder why that is?

I don't see this trend at all. Not that I see the opposite, but rather that I don't really see anyone who's genuinely willing (AFAICT) to give dissenting opinions a fair hearing. I'm guessing it's just a human thing, and politics in particular exacerbate it.

It's one reason why I don't take facebook seriously.

[carpedm9587]

I don't see this trend at all. Not that I see the opposite, but rather that I don't really see anyone who's genuinely willing (AFAICT) to give dissenting opinions a fair hearing. I'm guessing it's just a human thing, and politics in particular exacerbate it.

It's one reason why I don't take facebook seriously.

It's an interesting dynamic. When I visit left-leaning sites, there are few right-leaning members. When I visit right-leaning sites, there are usually some left-leaning members. I have both left and right views, depending on the subject matter. I have never been kicked out of a left-leaning site, even when they disagree with a right-leaning view I have. I have about a 50/50 chance of being kicked off a right-leaning site, just for expressing a left-leaning view.

Both sides, however, do have a tendency to mock someone that disagrees with them, or expresses a view they disagree with. That might be more about "Internet" than "left or right."

[One Bad Pig]

OK - that made me chuckle...

I have to admit that I notice a trend. In general, the left and center appear to be far more ready and willing to escape their bubble and explore the "other side" than the right. I have to wonder why that is?

Frankly, I don't see many on the left who are here to "explore the other side." Few people seem very interested in understanding how the other side thinks; rather, most are more interested in propagating their POV.

I'd join you on Facebook, but I don't have an account, and from what I've seen it's not a medium which is very conducive to reasoned discourse.

[carpedm9587]

Frankly, I don't see many on the left who are here to "explore the other side." Few people seem very interested in understanding how the other side thinks; rather, most are more interested in propagating their POV.

That does appear to be a common online dynamic.

I'd join you on Facebook, but I don't have an account, and from what I've seen it's not a medium which is very conducive to reasoned discourse.

We've actually had some pretty good - and extensive - discussions. They have slowed a bit as I spent more time here (and elsewhere) than there. I hope to see them pick up again. However, they would benefit from varied viewpoints.

Oh well - I can always continue to hope!

[Zymologist]

I'd join you on Facebook, but I don't have an account, and from what I've seen it's not a medium which is very conducive to reasoned discourse.

Practically speaking, it really isn't. The way comments work, following an actual discussion can become weirdly difficult and confusing.

[carpedm9587]

Practically speaking, it really isn't. The way comments work, following an actual discussion can become weirdly difficult and confusing.

Interesting...I find it actually better than here. The comments nest under the post and, when someone replies to a comment, the reply and all subsequent ones nest under the specific comment. It makes it a bit easier to follow a thread. However, the nesting is only one deep, so if people start replying to replies, all Facebook does is tag them with the name of the individual.

[Jedidiah]

OK - that made me chuckle...

I have to admit that I notice a trend. In general, the left and center appear to be far more ready and willing to escape their bubble and explore the "other side" than the right. I have to wonder why that is?

I am inclined to see this in Zym's light. Very few seriously examine the arguments from the other side. There seem to me to be two reasons for this. One, minds tend to be closed. Two, folks like me came from the opposite camp and were rather stunned to find that they were misreading their opponents arguments, and were rather ashamed that they had been fooled for so long by the arguments they/we had been using all along.

[carpedm9587]

I am inclined to see this in Zym's light. Very few seriously examine the arguments from the other side. There seem to me to be two reasons for this. One, minds tend to be closed. Two, folks like me came from the opposite camp and were rather stunned to find that they were misreading their opponents arguments, and were rather ashamed that they had been fooled for so long by the arguments they/we had been using all along.

I am a bit perplexed by this. Not sure what it is in reference to.

[One Bad Pig]

Interesting...I find it actually better than here. The comments nest under the post and, when someone replies to a comment, the reply and all subsequent ones nest under the specific comment. It makes it a bit easier to follow a thread. However, the nesting is only one deep, so if people start replying to replies, all Facebook does is tag them with the name of the individual.

I'm not referring merely to the threading, but also the space limitations inherent in FB comments. If you like exchanging one-liners, it's fine, but if you want to go more in-depth, you need someplace like this.

I should also, perhaps, note that I didn't come to TheologyWeb to argue politics; I came here to discuss Christianity in particular, and I appreciate the site's philosophy of light moderation (with emphases on both 'light' and 'moderation').

[rogue06]

OK - that made me chuckle...

I have to admit that I notice a trend. In general, the left and center appear to be far more ready and willing to escape their bubble and explore the "other side" than the right. I have to wonder why that is?

I would say that the exact opposite is true. You don't hear much if anything about conservatives cutting off or "unfriending" someone because of their liberal views but you sure hear about liberals doing it to conservatives. IIRC there have even been a couple of companies that have publicly declared they would not hire anyone who voted for Trump

[carpedm9587]

I'm not referring merely to the threading, but also the space limitations inherent in FB comments. If you like exchanging one-liners, it's fine, but if you want to go more in-depth, you need someplace like this.

I should also, perhaps, note that I didn't come to TheologyWeb to argue politics; I came here to discuss Christianity in particular, and I appreciate the site's philosophy of light moderation (with emphases on both 'light' and 'moderation').

I have no encountered a space limitation on FB. However, it is true that what is written is displayed in a very small format/space.