Writing.Com General Discussion

I admit the last paragraph took me by surprise. I tend to prefer replying when I disagree with a point. Thanks to my time in pro-GMO groups, though, I have been able to tweak my expectations when I do this.

Online (and sometimes even in real life), conversations between two people don't just stay between them. People can see the exchange of positions and ideas. Even if Person A doesn't change Person B's mind, their points can reach Person C (a bystander). Presenting facts in a public forum can help sow seeds of new ideas and maybe even change minds through a ripple effect. And on occasion I have gotten through to Person B. I consider that a bonus, though.

The key with this approach is being strategic. It does require developing good word choice and a willingness to occasionally wait before responding. Megan Phelps Roeper actually gave a good Ted Talk on this subject; I do plan to discuss that in my blog at some point. For those who think online discussions are strongly likely to br echo chambers, I say perhaps not. I'm not a fan of the phrase "skill issue"; it has increasingly been wielded like a thought stopping cliche. In this case, though, I think it has some merit. Having reasonable (online) discussions about different opinions can be done. It does require some extra work, but with enough practice that work becomes easier. Especially in text.