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The Argumentative Online User

 

Online arguments can be messy and downright cruel in certain situations. It is very easy to start
rattling off words without thinking of the people on the other side of the screen. A good
example of this is a debate that went down on a People.com Instagram post regarding the
basketball phenom, Caitlin Clark. A mild debate broke out after a controversial encounter
occurred between the player and a reporter. After certain hand gestures and words were used,
many viewers and professionals were off put. The reporter received much backlash from the
public and was punished by his employers. I chose this argument as I’ve seen many similar
argumentative tactics in my own personal social media usage. I think it is very common for
online arguments to present this way which makes it a great example. As for the online debate,
words used were also quite controversial between users. I will insert images of a couple different
threads under the People.com post. 




Another thread stated…

 


Negatives:

    -The use of improper language does not help prove any author credibility.

Using professional and clean language is a good rule of thumb when arguing. 

    -These users took the differing opinions too personal, leading to the attack of

other arguers. They chose to cut down the person of another opinion rather

than argue the point. 

    -Many were not willing to listen to the opposing opinions, this goes hand and

hand with the above negatives. Many users were opposed to hearing other opinions

to the point they ganged up on one particular user in each thread in order to

silence them. 


My 5 Rules to Online Arguments 

The Golden Rule: In online arguments, and arguments in general, be kind and treat

others the way you want to be treated. Respect is key in healthy debates. We will

always have different opinions than others and civil conversations about our thoughts

are healthy.

Focus on the Topic: We must realize we are arguing a point, attacking a subject, but

not our argument partner. Make sure you keep the person and the argument separate. 

Prioritize: Make sure what you are arguing is actually worth the time and effort to fight.

Some differences are better left alone as an argument will do nothing to fix or better a

situation. Sometimes it's better to hold your tongue. 

Ears (or eyes) Open: Allow those you are arguing to voice their views. Do not take up

all of the space in the room. One who is good at arguing lets the opposing side have room

to speak before giving a rebuttal. 


Here I will link the actual Instagram post I used: People Magazine | Gregg Doyel, the Indianapolis Star reporter whose awkward interaction with Caitlin Clark sparked backlash, has been penalized by the… | Instagram

I have also included an article which describes the reasons why we get ourselves 

into these poor-quality arguments: How to Stop Getting Into Pointless Arguments Online | WIRED




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