Thanks Ryanxia.
I'd like to add that I'm living proof that you can get in to a heated argument on any particular topic, with a moderator, and not get banned. On occasion I've been known to do just that.
The key point is you have to remain civil and respectful in how you go about things. The moment you are debating something and resort to an
ad hominem (attack the person instead of the argument) you cross to the
wrong side of civility.
This is no different than any other avenue of polite discourse.
E.g. "You are an idiot if you think ..."
No.
"do I respect your opinion but I strongly disagree with you on these points..."
That's fine.
Another thing that gets people in over their head here is spouting off about things they are experts of...
but only in their own mind. We have such a wide cross section of folks on this board, from all walks of life, that in any given conversation it is *highly* likely that someone way smarter on that particular topic will drop in. This is one area I screwed up on early on.
See, a lot of gun nuts get on the internet thinking they really, truly do know a lot about guns. And they very well might... about one or two things! But then they stick their nose in to a conversation that has drifted in to law, or tactics, or metallurgy, and find they are way out of their league.
That's when people get defensive, tempers start to show up, etc.
The thing I've learned over the years is to watch, read (listen),
absorb what I've read, think about what people are really saying,
and then contribute to the conversation if I have something which is meaningful to contribute.
You also need to have some humility - if you find yourself in a conversation with a person who really knows their stuff, and you are wrong,
don't dig in your feet and argue just for the sake of saving face. That is a
really bad idea around here, given the depth of knowledge some people have on THR.
THR doesn't play well to egomaniacs, know-it-alls, internet tough guys, etc. It fits in much better with those who are willing to accept "you know, I know quite a lot about X/Y/Z, but
I can still learn more."
The difference in how you approach issues like that is fundamentally something that needs to be fixed on the inside of the person's though process, as at it's core, the types who usually don't do well here suffer from one or more logical / rational thought process disruptions. Those who can make the adjustment or are predisposed to rational dialog; they do better.
E.g. if discussing something where someone dropped an opinion you strongly disagree with, rather than ....
"Wow, that way is wrong, what you need to do is x/y/z"
Maybe come across as ...
"I usually go about that {this way}; is there a reason you do it {that other way}?"
I've learned a lot about guns on THR but I will tell you right now, that I have probably learned a whole lot more about how to be polite and have a rational discussion than I have about guns. I've always come across, in the past, as argumentative and condescending in my dialog, and the last couple of years, on here, I've really tried to come full circle. This board not only has taught me a great deal more about "gun stuff" but on a more fundamental level, it has changed the way I look at problems and approach life in general.
There's some good people here, and there's a lot to be learned - and not always about guns.
