{"id":7497,"date":"2020-09-30T09:16:49","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T14:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kathwp.malibulist.com\/?p=7497"},"modified":"2020-09-30T09:16:49","modified_gmt":"2020-09-30T14:16:49","slug":"apparently-civil-discourse-is-on-life-support-and-fading-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kathwp.malibulist.com\/index.php\/2020\/09\/30\/apparently-civil-discourse-is-on-life-support-and-fading-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"Apparently Civil Discourse is on life support and fading fast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Civil discourse is an engagement in discourse (conversation) intended to enhance understanding.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I am not even talking about the debocal that we saw last night in Ohio. I am still angry and sad about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since March, a lot of people have more free time than they ever had before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since they have this time, a number of them have decided to stir up trouble in various fandoms. Some are doing it for the laughs and to make themselves feel better. Others are trying to get the powers that be to make the entertainment they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Internet, for all its wonderful qualities, has created monsters. Individuals who hide their real names and create chaos and discord. People who boast about what they have destroyed and they count coup with each other. They get bonus points if they run their target off the Internet.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debate (n) a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was at Emory working in the reference department, there were a couple of weeks that I dreaded because I knew what kind of mess I was going into. Finals was one of them. But the one that was een a bigger mess was when it was debate week where high school students from all over the country gathered at Emory for the debate tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They got their topic of debate when they arrived so they spent all their free time on debate prep in the library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went to watch a round of the tournament and when they had the floor they made their points and counterpoints then let the other debater make their. Someone got penalized for an aggressive eye roll while the other person was talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is a debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shouting to be the loudest is not debating, it is bullying and crass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belittling your opponent is crass and bullying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using false or disproved information is beyond the pale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a tournament you have to be able to site your sources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Internet it is easy to create a source or find a dubious one or even one that has been debunked and use it in their argument. When it is pointed out that this is false information is very telling of the person\u2019s character. If they accept that their theory is false or go to try to find more information, that is one kind of character. If they double down and resort to name calling and shouting then they are another kind of person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blowhard (n) a person who blusters and boasts in an unpleasant way.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or most of the Internet at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have dealt with blowhards most of my working life. The entertainment industry is full of them. Comic Book Shops seem to attract them. Retail customers, especially those that want something at a reduced price or free, can be real blowhards. The typical meme Karen is a blowhard and whatever the male equivelant. People who call the cops on other people who are legally gathered and not doing anything illegal. People who use their privilege to cockblock others are blowhards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are legion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am grateful for the polite people on the Internet and people who know how to debate properly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Civil discourse is an engagement in discourse (conversation) intended to enhance understanding. And I am not even talking about the debocal that we saw last night in Ohio. I am still angry and sad about it.  Since March, a lot of people have more free time than they ever had before.  Since they have this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t