Do You Take No Longer Responding to a Debate as Conceding a Point?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Throughout my 13 and a half years on RF, I have occasionally noticed that some people assume that if they have the last word in a debate, or if the other person stops responding, then the person who has the last word is the "winner" of the debate—the idea being that not responding necessarily means conceding an opposing argument.

Do you think this is the case, though? For instance, I have seen people stop responding due to being busy, not finding it worthwhile or productive to repeat themselves, making their points and not wishing to debate or try to convince anyone else, etc. I have sometimes stopped responding in debates for one or more of these reasons, myself, and nowadays, I rarely have the time, inclination, or energy to get into long debates that span a few or more pages.

Furthermore, I think it's productive to test one's ideas in debate and also read other arguments and perspectives rather than join debates to "win" or try to "prove" one's views even if trying to do so takes pages and pages of arguing back and forth. Even when one may have a point they want to share or they see something they wish to clarify—such as a claim they perceive to be highly inaccurate or even harmful—I have come to believe that debating for many pages has diminishing returns and rarely adds more clarity beyond the first few or several posts.

I have added a poll out of curiosity. I voted no: I don't think that no longer responding to a debate usually means someone has conceded a point, and I would rather not assume that this is why someone has stopped responding. Occasionally, it may mean that, but I have found that most of the time, people stop responding for any number of other reasons.

I follow a piece of advice I heard years ago, IIRC from Russell Glasser on the Non-Prophets podcast:

Every now and then, check in on yourself and ask "why am I posting in this thread?" If you can think of a reason that you think is good, great - keep going. But if you can't think of a reason, then stop posting.

Since I take this approach myself, I leave room for other people to take it, too.

Also, we all have real lives. I know there are times when we just don't have the time to post or we happen to be somewhere without data or wifi.

Edit: however, when someone is still posting in the thread and still engaging me in some way (so I know they don't just have me on ignore) but is refusing to answer direct questions, I'll generally infer from this that the person doesn't have an answer to the question... or has an answer but realizes that it doesn't work with their position.

 

[Debater Slayer]

If I believe that no longer responding is equivalent to conceding the point, I compel myself to pursuing an interchange that I may deem wholly worthless. We may argue the comparative merits of heavy metal versus coloratura soprano for days on end but, sooner or later, I'll leave you to your noise as I sit back and listen to Tales of Hoffman -- conceding nothing.

I'm not Paranoid about your lack of interest in metal, but you must know that I Run to the Hills when I encounter a metal hater. I Don't Talk to Strangers in the first place, but it's easy to Turn the Page when I do.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I'm not Paranoid about your lack of interest in metal, but you must know that I Run to the Hills when I encounter a metal hater. I Don't Talk to Strangers in the first place, but it's easy to Turn the Page when I do.

Well, at least you don't Kill 'Em All, you know, like Warpigs do. That would have me Sweating Bullets.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Well, at least you don't Kill 'Em All, you know, like Warpigs do. That would have me Sweating Bullets.

You must be fun at parties—a real Rainbow in the Dark!

 

[SalixIncendium]

You must be fun at parties—a real Rainbow in the Dark!

Yep...especially when I Hit the Lights!

 

[Martin]

I gave up posting in "The last post is the winner " thread because I didn't actually win it.