The debating debate

Oh, don't worry - I know I'm super hilarious <---- *rolls eyes at self*

caliandjack wrote: I don't get the need for a debate over it. Then this is OB and people debate whether the sky is blue in this forum.

I like debates. I think it's a great way of getting different opinions across to others. It allows all participants to have access to views they wouldn't have had if it wasn't for debate. It may even cause them to review their own opinions. It IS possible to have a civilised discussion about these things!

The problem comes I guess when people take a differing opinion as an attack on their own opinion (usually not the case) or when someone has the opinion that all other opinions are stupid other than their own. But when that happens - that falls outside my definition of debate - it's not a proper argument any more.

As a side note - I come from a family who love to debate things and although we haven't debated whether the sky is blue, there was a big debate a little while back about whether the sky is a mineral or abstract during a game of twenty questions where my brother in law out of nowhere decided to add "Abstract" to the categories Animal, Vegetable or Mineral. So there you go. We are a bit weird.

Also, for a little bit of light relief:

Monty Python's Argument Clinic

If debating didn't exist then the earth would still be flat and people would be without the wonders of modern medicine ... I could go on...    

Emmi_ wrote: Bowie wrote: I really couldnt care less if you Formula feed, rear face, baby wear, cloth nappy, ear pierce, vaccinate, circumcise, CIO, use a dummy etc etc but i do like to know why you do or do not do these things because i'm a nosey bitch! Im nosey too!! I love to know why poeple do the things they do (although find it hard sometimes as they often get defensive about it when I was just wanting to know why)

Have to admit that's me too... I more just want to know how/why it works for their family!

I think OB gets boring when there is no "debate" or other points of view being said.

I like watching people spit the dummy threaten to leave then start there own threads

Oh & I have got hooked on a couple of American forums...so interesting seeing what people in other countries do

A debate can be good, however there are too many people here now that think that their way is the only way and start dictating to others and then we don't have a debate we have arguing over why they do something a certain way.

I'm also inquisitive (ok nosey) about the reasons behind peoples decisions and how things work for them if they're doing something different than I am. How boring if we all ended up with a cookie cutter approach to parenting.

@ Bowie - if you find thebump entertaining you must check out mumsnet, the baby names section gets particularly rabid.

This is what happens when peoples posts getting taken completely out of context, I was commenting on the ear piercing debate which has now run to 3 threads quite a hot topic for something so benign.

so true Jazzy it has been a little bit bla around here lately... so it's a good to see a few debate threads

Oh and I only see two ear piercing threads

freckle wrote: so true Jazzy it has been a little bit bla around here lately... so it's a good to see a few debate threads Oh and I only see two ear piercing threads

hee hee hopefully this one may give me an excuse to up my computer time

Here's one for you Bowie - What is your stance on cannabis use? Who here has done drugs? What would you do if your child did drugs?