Discussions and results

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Recently, I found many new topics come here every day.

I have read most them, but it is really becoming hard to me to thinking in-depth.

And I started to doubt that: can we get any results from our discussion?

I found it is becoming harder and harder for me to think about most of these topics throughly and to have a clear idea...

How many discussions have achieved a result?

Not only discussions here, but most of discussions in our lives..Have they got a result, or not?

And why we do so if we cannot find answers or even a result?

"The true answer" does not exist. But we can have a clear answer that we believe it. And it is enough for a discussion already.

I am thinking about how do make my points clearly, and I would not post if I have not got real understanding on this point yet. Probably we need to spend more time in silence and meditation.

I would wait for your view on this point.

Discussions often don't have a resolution, other than threads getting locked or people losing interest. Some discussions span multiple threads and tend to continue ad infinitum. As long as there are commentators willing to comment such discussions continue. With the multiplicity of discussions though, each individual discussion is worth less then it otherwise might ought to be - just due to supply and demand.

Supply and demand...free market.

-But some are not real opinions, maybe futile.

Like in Capitalist society.....the true value may lost.

to me the discussion itself is the learning experience, if there ever is an answer at the end the road to get there will often be just as important.

I would be kind of cool if we had something analogous to The Economists Debates.

http://www.economist.com/debate/debates/overview/206

We could form multiple conservative(Right) and Liberal(Left) caucuses, everyone gets an issue, and each caucus generates a platform for that groups position on the issue at hand. We then have 2 or 3 rounds in which we respond to opposing groups critiques or make or reposition our own stance and and have a final round with closing arguments. Each round allows for free commentary from all WP members to help generate discussion.

It doesn't even have to be divided right-vs-left. It could be men-vs-women, or any other way you want to divide/group people.

The number of people who actually want to discuss any given topic is strictly limited.

There are those for whom a discussion which does not end with a clear winner and loser is pointless.

There are those who are primarily interested in attacking those they see - for whatever reason - as their enemy or their legitimate prey.

And there are those who get locked into the infinite loop of rabbit - chicken - did - didn't - you're a liar - you're an idiot - which is the most common way threads get more than 30 posts.

And yet there are here ideas, and if you have a good bush knife and hack your way through the thorny vines there is actually some stimulation of ideas and insights.

When somebody makes a proposal and presents a few pertinent aspects contributors present unexpected problems and aspects. It is not necessary to come to a final conclusion, merely to examine the problems from as many angles as possible. Frequently no conclusion is possible.

Thank you I think so on every discussions that I feel I can fully understand or thinking in-depth..

Excuse me, will you feel so on every discussion? And if so, you have much better ability of understanding things than me.. A little bit envy to you

What is your definition of a "real opinion"?

well if nothing else you will learn something about the people in the discussion, i always think there is something to be had.

though heavily repetetive discussions are seldom worth the effort.

Yes, it will be interesting! I am reading The Economist just now

Opinions that have not been affected by anybody else..

No, Opinions from your heart(mind), and if it changes, it is your will to change it, but not for any other trifle reasons...

I rarely want to discuss any given topics, I only want topics that useful..

I hardly care about to be a winner or loser, I prefer to learn different views from such experience...And..inspire each other.

Attacking or infinite... I have no interest in it..Both are weaknesses of human being...

Most of your ideas are stimulus to me

I hope a discussion would finally achieve it..

But it is indeed a pity that we can not achieve it for most of time..In my impression, at least

Rani mukerji?

Since none of us are policy makers (I don't think), none of the discussions are going to end with any real-world results outside of our own heads. Within our own heads, there are probably results. For myself, I have clarified my own position on some points (through having to defend it), changed my position on other points (from finding out things I didn't already know, rather than things I merely disagreed with) and found a position on some things I'd never before heard of (like Dielethiesm).

I have also found that practice making posts in PPR has improved my real-life skills in making arguments where how I present my side can actually change things- specifically at IEP meetings for my daughter.



Sometimes and sometimes not. I don't always get my way no matter how skillfully I argue . And I think I argue more skillfully than before thanks to PPR. Political discussions affect how I vote. Economics discussions affect how I spend my money. Philosophical discussions don't really affect any specific decisions but they do help my arguing skills in general. Life is full of decisions that are made after discussions. But when we do things like argue about Sarah Palin, that doesn't really have any real world effect, other than giving us debate practice.



No debate on these boards is ever going to lead to some sort of firm decision whereby the "right" answer to the debate is announced. Even if the board somehow reaches unanimity on an issue, a lurker could go live and disagree. But that's not the point of PPR. We aren't changing anything here except our own minds and sometimes other peoples' minds (not the people we are debating with, the people who haven't formed a decision yet). Pretty much no thread on PPR has a definitive answer. There are only issues that people agree or disagree about.





Yes, that.



I spend time in silence and meditation when I need to clear my head and calm down and detox from too much stress. It's not really related to anything on PPR. Silence and meditation can't really add to PPR. PPR is for throwing things wildly out there and seeing what catches the interest of other people. It's very dynamic and not at all silent. (The clickety-clackety of the keyboard counts.)