Anonymous strikes again

[o.pwuaioc]

Geez. These EULA threads are almost as bad as piracy and politics threads.

What's worse: arguing about things that really matter (like politics and the law) or arguing about which video game is better than another?

[noiseredux]

What's worse: arguing about things that really matter (like politics and the law) or arguing about which video game is better than another?

it depends. I mean if we were on a video game forum or somethi-- HEY!

[MrPopo]

First off, some facts. The US government, bankers and many major corporations are corrupt.

The entirety of each group? Or is it just a few (or many) bad apples? Define what kind of corruption you mean here too. But for the sake of my following points I'm willing to concede this.

They are all working together to benefit themselves, even though it makes things much worse for the other 99% of the population.

Need evidence of collaboration and intent, as well as evidence that they don't do things that benefit the regular people. But again, let's say that they focus on benefitting themselves (and honestly, so does the 99%) and any good they may do is a side effect.

Now what if most Americans knew about this? Obviously, we would have enough support to do something about it and fix it.

You're assuming everyone would come to the same conclusions that you do, that this situation is intolerable and needs to be fixed. What if someone acknowledges that the company they work is working towards a legal monopoly but also gives them bitchin health care? That person might decide the monopoly is worth the health care.

What if most Americans either didn't know, or they choose not to think about it because it's unpleasant? It's no surprise that the corruption would continue mostly unopposed.

Your first reasonable statement of this post. But it's also a trivial piece of logic: if people don't know something bad is happening, they won't try to stop it.

Guess which one is the current reality? The sad truth is that most people prefer to live in a fantasy world, and not concern themselves with serious big time bullshit like this.

Where's your evidence of this? What if people are doing a cost-benefit analysis and use a different weighting system than you do?

Also, a very large amount of people believe what they hear from the TV news and newspapers, so they aren't even aware of the problem to begin with.

I'm curious as to which completely unbiased and informationally complete source you get your information from.

[o.pwuaioc]

What's worse: arguing about things that really matter (like politics and the law) or arguing about which video game is better than another?

it depends. I mean if we were on a video game forum or somethi-- HEY!

Nothing wrong with debating video games, but I don't think it's any better than discussing politics and law in the two or three active threads we have for them...no?

[noiseredux]

it depends. I mean if we were on a video game forum or somethi-- HEY!

Nothing wrong with debating video games, but I don't think it's any better than discussing politics and law in the two or three active threads we have for them...no?[/quote]

I can't say better or worse. But outcome-wise, our video game discussions often seem to be a bit more constructive as a whole.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

<sigh> Inazuma, have you ever stopped to realize that statements like this come across exactly the same as an evangelical Christian talking about the truth of Jesus?

So what? What I said was actually true, unfortunately. I really wish I was wrong. Please tell me that I am wrong. Seriously, I don't want to be right this time.

The occupy protests are helping to educating the masses, but it's not enough.

This is gold.

[equalsign]

Geez. These EULA threads are almost as bad as piracy and politics threads.

What's worse: arguing about things that really matter (like politics and the law) or arguing about which video game is better than another?

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with discussing them. I'm saying that the conversation degrades to nippy jerk fests. After a point there's not a meaningful dialogue going on anymore. It just becomes quote boxes, people playing devil's advocate, and back-and-forth "Gotcha!" moments where someone points out a contradiction, bad word choice, or hypocrisy. I think threads like this usually hurt the community more than strengthen it. Not saying they shouldn't be allowed. Just wish people were a little more civil and less brash. I usually like to think of this forum as better than others on the internet, but these kind of threads serve to remind me that it isn't by much.

I think you and I know this pretty well .

[dsheinem]

Inazuma, what are your educational and/or professional credentials? Sometimes conflict stems from differences in training and the subsequent worldview that is fostered as a result. Since you seem to be so outspoken on this and several other issues, it might help us better understand you (and the ethos behind your logos) if you disclose this info...

EDIT: Please don't misconstrue this as provocation to "prove you are smart" or something like that - that isn't what this is about. I just think I have a better sense of how people understand the world when I know something about how they were trained to evaluate it.

[brunoafh]

Inazuma, what are your educational and/or professional credentials? Sometimes conflict stems from differences in training and the subsequent worldview that is fostered as a result. Since you seem to be so outspoken on this and several other issues, it might help us better understand you (and the ethos behind your logos) if you disclose this info...

I'd be very interesting in hearing this as well.

[dsheinem]

It just becomes quote boxes, people playing devil's advocate, and back-and-forth "Gotcha!" moments where someone points out a contradiction, bad word choice, or hypocrisy. I think threads like this usually hurt the community more than strengthen it.

I strongly disagree with you, and I have to wonder how much time you've actually spent in these "debate threads" here on the forums. Our ability to have civil discussion on topics that turn many other forums into a frenzy of name-calling, meme-posting, and permbanning is exactly what makes this forum stand out.