JA WestenbergFeb 17, 2025

I write this as someone who spent years engaging in online debates.

I have the screenshots of "victories" to prove it. I can craft the perfect quote tweet, deploy the devastating counterexample, and unleash the clever analogy that leaves opponents speechless.

And I'm dumber for all of it.
https://www.joanwestenberg.com/you-will-never-win-an-argument-on-the-internet-heres-why/

You Will Never Win an Argument On the Internet—Here's Why

The Internet promised us a renaissance of discourse. Armed with instant access to all human knowledge and the ability to connect with brilliant minds worldwide, we imagined our online debates would elevate human understanding to unprecedented heights.  But two decades later, we scroll through our choice of social poison, watching

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@Daojoan
Great article.

Do have any sympathy for the idea that we're not trying to change the other persons mind so much as we're doing it for the benefit of someone else who's going to read the thread?

Edit: realised I wasn't clear. I mean, so that when some one says "Climate change is a hoax" there's a reply underneath explaining that it isn't, so a passerby brought there by the algorithm sees the lies debunked.

Feb 17, 2025 at 7:22amWeb