Has getting into a debate on DL ever made

no.

It isn't just on DL. I don't really understand why anyone tries to convince anyone else of anything. It never works; people never change their minds.

People do sometimes change their opinions, but it's never because of just one internet argument.

It provided more color and perspective - but I generally agree with 70% of the political and social views on this board. Most of my beliefs are based on facts and reason, so unless there's some shocking new evidence - then no, I don't change my mind.

I will say that my unresolved feelings about the trans issue a few years ago have pushed me to a firm stance. That's based on threads here and articles that I would never have come across on my own.

That being said - it's amazing to me the Republicans and others who throw out shit here and are oblivious to the rational responses.

These ridiculous debates are always a waste of time and energy.

I will give my point and link some evidence of why I am correct (because of course I am bitches!), but then I walk away. I'm not going to keep shouting back and forth, it's a waste, and especially on DL just completely derails the thread.

DL has exposed me to the opinions of people whose lives, backgrounds and experiences are very different from me and anyone I know. So it's made me more aware of that.

On a more macro level, I had no idea that Maiden Auntism was so rampant in the eldergay community--I had always thought of eldergays as being more urbane and sophisticated, sort of like characters from Tales of the City.

Actually, yes.

I was in full support of kids who identify as trans to be able to pursue that.

After reading comments posted here, especially the argument that convincing kids they're trans is erasing gay boys, I started to second guess my own opinion.

If an adult wants to identify as another gender fine, but all the shit being done to kids is disturbing.

Occasionally.

I would say I have a more realistic view of Islam as a result of DL. I don't mean I've just taken the word of people who've posted about Islam on here, but it's been a jumping-off point. I've read more about misogyny, homophobia and general hatred for the West among Islam. I used to think those things were only an issue among a minority of Muslims. I now believe they're quite mainstream within Muslim communities.

Politically it has helped me adopt some viewpoints that I normally wouldn’t have considered.

Generally an echo chamber of my political opinions. But agree with R8 that it has made me question my views on the trans issue. Not sure if that’s good as it seems Republican.

The only other vaguely Republican opinion I have is the right to impose restrictions on immigration and the need to discourage the flood of arrivals on the Southern border so they don’t end up in one of the many overcrowded facilities that have been opened in the past few years to handle the increase.

Generally an echo chamber of my political opinions. But agree with R8 that it has made me question my views on the trans issue. Not sure if that’s good as it seems Republican.

The only other vaguely Republican opinion I have is the right to impose restrictions on immigration and the need to discourage the flood of arrivals on the Southern border so they don’t end up in one of the many overcrowded facilities that have been opened in the past few years to handle the increase.

[quote] I would say I have a more realistic view of Islam as a result of DL.

It's working.

No, but some have given me food for thought.

Yes, it has most definitely! I'm a very vulnerable uneducated girl who has taken acid 500 times in the last 2 yrs.!

Then I met this beautiful man on here named Charlie, and he told me that blackie was our slave and we should start a race war by voting for Trump. Because Trump knew how to handle the colored.

R14, did you even read past the first line of my post?

I’ve also gotten more insight into the trans issue, especially in respect to women’s sports and dressing rooms. I hadn’t given it much thought, before. DL provides a lot of perspectives, and people in the real world don’t talk about such things as freely out of fear.

[quote] [R14], did you even read past the first line of my post?

Yep. I read every word.

Then, R19, why did you imply it was a bad thing and the result of trolling? Don't you think it's important to have a better understanding of this subject? 52% of British Muslims want homosexuality to be made illegal. I previously thought that only a tiny minority of Muslims thought that way.

Yes. I’m much more aware of African American issues, White Privilege, and so forth. All liberal issues actually. More disgusted with Trump and his kind. I wouldn’t have known of any of this without DataLounge. I still have no idea what I think about the trans issue, but I don’t really care about that.

I used to be a swing voter, but now I vote a straight ticket for the Dems. The conservatives on here are nuts.

I have learned things that I otherwise wouldn't have known, and I appreciate that. I like the perspective we get from people from all over, both all over the US, but also all over the world. I've never gotten in the habit of blocking posters, since that seems cowardly. And my settings are set to asbestos. When it comes to complex issues, I try to avoid jumping to conclusions, but just listen to the various points of view.

No but it's made by much better at spotting lies.

R23 - that's helpful though. What kind of lies? Political argument lies?

It takes more than one debate. I follow only most of the time. I gather impressions. For instance I'm more for a bland team like Williamson Beto now. I need a rest from all the toxic drama. I need some feel good.

I now am an atheist thanks to DL

DL has made me accepting of Double Penetration

I found out that white evangelicals are less accepting of gays than muslims

Yes. I don't know how important it is since it's such a minuscule percentage of the population but I now totally support transgender rights. It wasn't until those anti-trans people invaded the DL and tried to recruit us that I paid any attention to the issue. Everything nasty and bigoted that they say about trans people they used to say about gay people, sometimes it's using the exact same words and phrases I remember so well from the bad old days.

Also, Duke's Mayonnaise - accept no substitutes.

Yes, I was so moved by all the anti-circumcision arguments that I grew my foreskin back.

Not big things like who I'm going to vote for or how I drain my pasta, but I remember some smaller things where my mind was changed. Someone here convinced me to go off dairy and I did for about a year.

I've bought some things I've seen recommended here. I can't remember any off the top of my head. I've also watched a lot of television shows I've read about here-- "I, Claudius" and "Jewel in the Crown" come to mind.

Someone recommended this thing and I bought it. It's great!

Yep, live threads like this one have made me more aware as to how extreme and clueless Dems can be that I’ve become Independent.

R8, ABSOLUTELY. This was actually the big issue I have with the terrible show about that Jaz Jennings kid, on TLC. This child's mother decided that her three year old must be a trans girl, simply because he liked purple and pink. I’m not even joking. She claims that he told her he was waiting for his vagina to be dropped off by the vagina fairy, (or some nonsense). Then they put this poor kid on hormones and destroyed his body and his identity before he even knew who the fuck was! A person's sexuality and genitalia are their own business, but what this kid's parents did to him looks more like abuse. Like they needed a medical explanation for him possibly being gay. Must be that he is REALLY a girl.....okie dokie.

Not immediately, but I have shifted my opinion on several things over the longer term after I've had discussions about them here on DL. Mostly movies, but there was some other (life) stuff as well. I actually cringe thinking about some of my posts in the past, but that's life I guess.

It’s healthy to cringe when you think about some of your past posts on social media and forums. If you aren’t slightly embarrassed by some of it, then it means you likely haven’t evolved as a person.

Watching the right wing trolls and the pretend-left-wing trolls who are desperately trying to smear the liberals has made me more liberal and more distrustful of anything a right winger says.

Me too, R38!

Yes, personal hygiene. It's not that important.

[quote]Has getting into a debate on DL ever made

I don't understand the question because half of the subject of the thread is missing. Cunt.

It's a little more complicated than that, OP!

Well, the recent thread shrilly insisting how FAB Margot Robbie supposedly is (in a practically non-speaking role) in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD has actually devalued this Oscar nominee to me - -

The only opinion DL has ever changed for me at all is to make me hate Republicans, conservatives, homophobes, racists, and bigots of every stripe even more.

I hate Democrats even more.

Nope

DL has provided an excellent education as to the gullibility of people with no real knowledge of the world outside their front doors.

(The vicious bigotry of the gay community I was already well aware of.)

Yes, when people have logic, are articulate, intelligent, present their arguments with unemotional facts, seem to be doctorates in what they are talking about, then yes, that influences me.

When people are emotionally charged, desperate, mean, rude, insulting, can't grasp that someone else would have a different opinion, then no, I don't want to attune to that.

R45, that's because you're not an "independent" (laugh). You're just another dem-hating right-winger.

R45, when you hate them, it’s “Demcrats”. You drop the “O” for some reason. Another weird feature of English.

On some of the older idiot libertarian troll threads, he would write something, then be followed by a gaggle of others that all said something similar to “I never thought of it that way, I think you’re right! You make perfect sense!” It was frustrating. Of course, it was the ILT, or possibly one other person, pretending to be multiple people.

The anti-AA troll does the same thing.

Be prepared for name-calling if you offer a contrarian view. It's a DL rule.

It's a rule on every site, R52, and often worse on sites that have nothing to do with politics. People get quite ... religious ... in their beliefs about, say, knitting or needlepoint.

We like different gaming consoles? Prepare to die, heathen!!