Most online debate is actively harmful to our thinking. Every hour spent arguing on Twitter is an hour we could have spent reading a book, writing an essay, or having a genuine discussion in a better environment.
The Internet promised us a marketplace of ideas. Instead, we built a gladiatorial arena where ideas go to die—time to find better places to think.
I guess the fediverse isn’t the internet? Around here I frequently admit to being wrong and acknowledge when someone has a point, so I can confirm some people are winning arguments around here.
My idea of winning an argument is (usually) turning a disagreement into a valuable conversation. The twitter/bsky thing is too short form to have ever made that feel like that was possible. The medium is the message.
I love being proven wrong because it means I learned something new.
Yeah, the audience is smaller and also scientifically minded. If someone admits to being wrong, that’s often seen as character strength. But I guess, also just having a higher education allows you to not feel attacked in your whole self-worth, if you’re occasionally wrong.