As I was responding to a recent thread, some random thoughts came to mind as I recalling my own experiences of discussing politics with others - friends, family, classmates, co-workers - as well as countless random and anonymous individuals over the internet.
But then I think to myself: Why do I do this? It's obviously not for any monetary reward.
Thinking back to when I was a kid, I recall that politics was also a major topic of discussion in my family. Every family gathering (at least on my mom's side) would invariably become a heated and loud political discussion. My parents' divorce also seemed to be somewhat related to political differences, as my mother was a liberal Democrat and my father was a conservative Republican. Nixon was president at the time.
So, at least in my own case, growing up in a family where politics was constantly discussed undoubtedly left some kind of indelible imprint upon me. I discussed politics in school, with both peers and teachers.
Things changed somewhat when we moved to Arizona when I was still in high school. I started to become more exposed to political ideas and philosophies which were somewhat difficult to take at first. My father was a conservative, although he subscribed to a different brand of conservatism than what I encountered here in AZ. But I still kept interest in politics in general and enjoyed discussing it with people regardless of their point of view.
Of course, not everyone has the same passion for politics as others - and many people eschew political discussion altogether. But as the internet started to get bigger, I found Usenet and other forums for discussing politics, philosophy, religion, and just about everything else under the sun. All these other people posting and chatting about their views, just like me.
But then, periodically I would encounter those who would ask: Why do this? It all seems like a pointless waste of time, so why bother? What's the point?
I suppose for some, it might be a kind of release or outlet. (I've come across those who seem to think it's like an online video game, as there are those who would crow about "pwning" someone in a political debate.)
So, for those of you who actively participate in political debates (here or elsewhere), why do you do it? What motivates you? Is it meant to be a release? Or are there those who might believe it will make a difference? Or maybe it's just killing time? Are there those who feel it brings out a competitive spirit, like in a game, where one can take pride in winning a debate over the internet?
But then I think to myself: Why do I do this? It's obviously not for any monetary reward.
Thinking back to when I was a kid, I recall that politics was also a major topic of discussion in my family. Every family gathering (at least on my mom's side) would invariably become a heated and loud political discussion. My parents' divorce also seemed to be somewhat related to political differences, as my mother was a liberal Democrat and my father was a conservative Republican. Nixon was president at the time.
So, at least in my own case, growing up in a family where politics was constantly discussed undoubtedly left some kind of indelible imprint upon me. I discussed politics in school, with both peers and teachers.
Things changed somewhat when we moved to Arizona when I was still in high school. I started to become more exposed to political ideas and philosophies which were somewhat difficult to take at first. My father was a conservative, although he subscribed to a different brand of conservatism than what I encountered here in AZ. But I still kept interest in politics in general and enjoyed discussing it with people regardless of their point of view.
Of course, not everyone has the same passion for politics as others - and many people eschew political discussion altogether. But as the internet started to get bigger, I found Usenet and other forums for discussing politics, philosophy, religion, and just about everything else under the sun. All these other people posting and chatting about their views, just like me.
But then, periodically I would encounter those who would ask: Why do this? It all seems like a pointless waste of time, so why bother? What's the point?
I suppose for some, it might be a kind of release or outlet. (I've come across those who seem to think it's like an online video game, as there are those who would crow about "pwning" someone in a political debate.)
So, for those of you who actively participate in political debates (here or elsewhere), why do you do it? What motivates you? Is it meant to be a release? Or are there those who might believe it will make a difference? Or maybe it's just killing time? Are there those who feel it brings out a competitive spirit, like in a game, where one can take pride in winning a debate over the internet?
