the opposites thread

Life, the universe, and everything.
Forum rules
- No personal attacks against players or staff members - please be civil!
- No posting of mature images/links, keep content SFW. If it's NSFW, don't post it on these forums.
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

the opposites thread

Postby kiryan » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:42 pm

I was thinking it would be fun for some of the more vocal of us to switch sides on an issue and argue it. I'm thinking Sarvis, Teflor, Kifle, Adriorn, Ragorn, Corth in particular. Anyone interested? Anyone have an issue? We could start it here or just make a new thread with the issue and (opposites) in it to signify that you are to take a position contrary to your natural one.

Lets try to pick something that is fresh.
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Corth » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:49 am

I'm sure we could all do a credible job of it if we wanted to. Well, all of us except Sarvis. I just can't imagine him arguing in favor of small government or free markets without some sort of sarcasm. And I suppose it can't hurt to try and think through opposing arguments. It would basically be a debate team exercise. I'm just not sure how much fun that is. If people actually are interested I'd give it a shot...

Just do me a favor and stay away from a morality/religion topic. Difficult for me to get too excited about either side of the story.
Having said all that, the situation has been handled, so this thread is pretty much at an end. -Kossuth

Goddamned slippery mage.
Ragorn
Sojourner
Posts: 4732
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2001 6:01 am

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Ragorn » Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:43 am

Sure, pick something we haven't done.
- Ragorn
Shar: Leave the moaning to the people who have real issues to moan about like rangers or newbies.
Corth: Go ask out a chick that doesn't wiggle her poon in people's faces for a living.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Sarvis » Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:45 am

Corth wrote:I'm sure we could all do a credible job of it if we wanted to. Well, all of us except Sarvis. I just can't imagine him arguing in favor of small government or free markets without some sort of sarcasm.



To be fair, I can't argue my own side without sarcasm either...

But sure, pick a subject.
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire
avak
Sojourner
Posts: 672
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:01 am

Re: the opposites thread

Postby avak » Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:54 pm

God, I feel left out. I guess I need to post more.

I wanted to suggest pot legalization as an issue that hasn't been discussed here much. My only hesitation is that it isn't controversial enough. In that case, I would suggest the Bush Doctrine.
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Corth » Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:22 am

The Bush doctrine is many different things to different people. We would need to settle on a definition first which might be a whole lot of argument. Marijuana legalization.. is there anyone here who isn't in favor of it? I would suggest, perhaps, affirmative action.
Having said all that, the situation has been handled, so this thread is pretty much at an end. -Kossuth



Goddamned slippery mage.
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby kiryan » Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:00 pm

Hey avak, I did remember you yesterday, but didn't get to posting. Sorry that I didn't include you in the initial list.
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:58 pm

My suggestion for the opposites debate is abortion. While we are drawn down conservative/liberal lines being pro-life/pro-choice, the argument would allow us to keep to some of our conservative/liberal schools of thought, which could make things quite interesting.

If you really want to argue complete opposites though, we should argue about the merits of the size of government.
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Corth » Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:05 pm

I'm actually interested in where you would fall on that debate Teflor. Obviously you are a conservative. Yet I have seen you on many occasions advocating solutions to problems that involve increasing the size and involvement of government.
Having said all that, the situation has been handled, so this thread is pretty much at an end. -Kossuth



Goddamned slippery mage.
Kifle
Sojourner
Posts: 3830
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2002 6:01 am
Location: Huntington, IN USA
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Kifle » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:51 pm

Corth wrote:I would suggest, perhaps, affirmative action.


I like this one. That would be a very tough one for me to argue the other side of.
Fotex group-says 'Behold! penis!'

Kifle puts on his robe and wizard hat.

Thalidyrr tells you 'Yeah, you know, getting it like a jackhammer wears you out.'

Teflor "You can beat a tank with a shovel!!1!1!!one!!1!uno!!"
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby kiryan » Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:17 pm

affirmative action is good.

What about "judicial activism" or "world government"
avak
Sojourner
Posts: 672
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:01 am

Re: the opposites thread

Postby avak » Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:20 pm

Good ideas. What about the Palin resignation and the effect on the GOP?
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby kiryan » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:34 pm

I suppose we could but it would largely be speculative based on what she might do in the future wouldn't it? If she just hunkers down and is a stay at home mom... vs if she goes out and actively fund raises for GOP everywhere... The affect on the GOP would be strikingly different.
Corth
Sojourner
Posts: 6002
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 6:01 am
Location: NY, USA

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Corth » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:35 am

I'm going to suggest you pick something less esoteric than judicial activism or the Palin resignation. Judicial Activism a very academic debate. Palin's resignation.. not sure what there is to argue about. Something broader and more relevent to everyday life would be a better choice. I kind of like the world government suggestion. There are some good arguments for and against a world government that actually has teeth.
Having said all that, the situation has been handled, so this thread is pretty much at an end. -Kossuth



Goddamned slippery mage.
kiryan
Sojourner
Posts: 7275
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 5:01 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Flagstaff, AZ
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby kiryan » Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:35 pm

I like the idea of arguing pro big government (world government). I think it would provide the opportunity to go in virtually every direction as an argument pro or con.
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:35 am

I'm with Corth. I don't understand what there is to argue about on the Palin resignation. I'm good with the government size and affirmative action debates.
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:17 pm

I think I'm just going to get started with the opposites debate on the size, scope, and involvement of the Federal government. My personal views on the size, scope, and involvement of the Federal government side with more traditional Republican and moderate Libertarian views, mostly, that the Federal government should limit its direct involvement in the workings of its people. Corth, you've stated that I sometimes propose the "expansion" of government power, but I believe you've misunderstood what I was proposing: simply the proper application of existing government power to solve some problems that may possibly only be resolved on a national scale - not because I think that the Federal government should, but because I don't think that power is going to go away any time soon (a realist's perspective on what there is and how it should be used).

So, here goes with the opposite debate, I'm arguing FOR larger, more involved Federal government:

The national and global trends are clear, that the world's economy is shifting towards a service economy because industrial and agriculture jobs are simply drying up in the withering heat of technology. Automation, robotics, and intelligent sensory equipment will slowly replace the human being on the farm and in the factory, as it already has, and will continue to do so in coming years. As technology advances, the need for human labor will disappear, disrupting the traditional method of wealth distribution - employment. Not all of us can be sculptors or bread artisans, after all. With the pending death of the traditional wealth distribution model, a new system will have to be put into place to ensure that capitalism can continue - that people will continue to have the capability to acquire wealth and to be able to chose what to do with their wealth.

Indeed, this disappearance of low-level jobs is already occurring, and the growing need for the distribution of wealth to be supported on the lower end is forcing the nation to accept new forms of wealth transfer. Because the traditional merit-based distribution of wealth applied now is tremendously right-leaning (towards the highly educated and already wealthy), a more well balanced system requires distribution on an economic level, or the size of our entire economy or market. This is best achieved uniformly and without localized politicization by use of the national government.
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:05 pm

I think I won this argument? Or no one else can do opposites debates?
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Sarvis » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:21 pm

95% of people have you on ignore, so you assume you won when no one replies? I'm sure it's not more likely no one read your post. :roll:
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:50 am

Sarvis wrote:95% of people have you on ignore, so you assume you won when no one replies? I'm sure it's not more likely no one read your post. :roll:


No, most people don't ignore me, Sarvis, just some trolls on a bbs with severe tunnel vision and narrow-minded thinking. In many ways, that IS winning.
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Sarvis » Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:31 pm

Umm, it's something like 90% of the regular posters. And they're trolls because they don't want to get drawn into your argument-fests? Right. It's always interesting to see how your mind works. (For a definition of "works" I haven't quite figured out yet...)
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire
teflor the ranger
Sojourner
Posts: 3923
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Waterdeep

Re: the opposites thread

Postby teflor the ranger » Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:08 pm

How else would you explain the continued insults despite not reading anything I write?
Teflor does. Teflor does not.
Sarvis
Sojourner
Posts: 6369
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2001 6:01 am
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Re: the opposites thread

Postby Sarvis » Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:35 pm

Accuracy.
<a href="http://www.code-haven.com">Code Haven</a> - For all your programming needs.

I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write. - Some Guy Who Paraphrased Voltaire

Return to “T2 General Discussion Archive”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests