Idle curiosity about drop-in posters (low content)

[bunny]

I continually get sucked into responding to posts from someone I've rarely seen post on SMP who starts an 'I can prove such-and-such' thread, makes some unconnected and vaguely relevant statements, then refuses to engage in any kind of discussion or argument about them (which is where I usually get irritated).

Given the obvious flaws in most of these arguments, it got me wondering whether it is some game or whether there really are a large number of ill-informed people out there, deluded into thinking they have logically deduced the answer to some great conundrum. What do you think?

[madnak]

There's a large number of ill-informed people who think they've invented perpetual motion machines or proved famous mathematical conjectures. The number goes up when you consider philosophical questions. You can find people who think they have it all figured out everywhere.

[vhawk01]

The amazing part about this is that the number of ill-informed people that fit the description you mentioned in the OP are VASTLY underrepresented on a site like this. I am consistently shocked and dismayed whenever I have a conversation of this type with most of my classmates or people in my daily life.

We get them from time to time as a curiosity but they are the overwhelming majority, in my opinion.

[pokervintage]

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I continually get sucked into responding to posts

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Please, it's not the dealers fault.

pokervintage

[PLOlover]

[ QUOTE ]
'I can prove such-and-such' thread, makes some unconnected and vaguely relevant statements, then refuses to engage in any kind of discussion or argument about them (which is where I usually get irritated).

[/ QUOTE ]

they're probably uni profs.

[bunny]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I continually get sucked into responding to posts

[/ QUOTE ]

Please, it's not the dealers fault.

pokervintage

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I take full responsibility.

[bunny]

[ QUOTE ]
The amazing part about this is that the number of ill-informed people that fit the description you mentioned in the OP are VASTLY underrepresented on a site like this. I am consistently shocked and dismayed whenever I have a conversation of this type with most of my classmates or people in my daily life.

We get them from time to time as a curiosity but they are the overwhelming majority, in my opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]
I have almost the opposite experience, though perhaps it's a function of who I socialise with. Most people I argue/discuss with in RL seem to have a much firmer grasp of logic and the need for constructing a rational argument than the posts I'm referring to.

I must confess to finding the verdict of the poll a little depressing.

[luckyme]

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Most people I argue/discuss with in RL seem to have a much firmer grasp of logic and the need for constructing a rational argument than the posts I'm referring to.


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sounds like you're a better selector face-to-face then you are on line. You must pick up other clues prior to bothering to discuss anything serious with people.

luckyme

[vhawk01]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The amazing part about this is that the number of ill-informed people that fit the description you mentioned in the OP are VASTLY underrepresented on a site like this. I am consistently shocked and dismayed whenever I have a conversation of this type with most of my classmates or people in my daily life.

We get them from time to time as a curiosity but they are the overwhelming majority, in my opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]
I have almost the opposite experience, though perhaps it's a function of who I socialise with. Most people I argue/discuss with in RL seem to have a much firmer grasp of logic and the need for constructing a rational argument than the posts I'm referring to.

I must confess to finding the verdict of the poll a little depressing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh, not me at all. I envy you.