THUMB WAR [1]- PRO:  INDIVIDUALISM and/or UNCONVENTIONAL DEBATE FORMATS

Author: oromagi

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We have a tie and Disc has suggested a dual topic.  We have two winning topics:

THUMB WAR [1]-
  • PRO:  INDIVIDUALISM is ETHICALLY SUPERIOR to COLLECTIVISM
  • UNCONVENTIONAL DEBATE FORMATS SUCH as THAT in THIS THREAD SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED

username has earned 1pt!
Discipulus_Didicit has earned 1pt!

  • Submit the most popular single-post argument affirming  either winning topic
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    PERPETUAL and CUMULATIVE RADIANT GLORY POINTS COUNTER:

    username:1
    Discipulus_Didicit:1

    fauxlaw
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    @oromagi
    I'll take Individualism is morally superior to collectivism for three points, Bob. [oro in disguise]:

    I favor individualism over collectivism for just about any reason, but, in particular, it makes sense to a moral perspective because I believe in the infinite advancement capability of a person. I also believe there is no end to the body of knowledge, nor of capability to practically apply it; an ability called wisdom. So, if Jack believes this, and starts on a path of infinite progression in knowledge, and practical use of that knowledge for self-improvement, Jack can measure his progress periodically, and thus determine that he is, in fact, progressing at a pace suited to him. He can even determine, over time, that the pace may be increased as his body of knowledge and ability of its use increase. However, better still, Jack can realize that these abilities of acquiring knowledge and wisdom can be taught to others. Some will accept and try it; others will not, and each person's dedication to the effort is going to vary, person to person. Nevertheless, Jack will be successful in his encouragement of others to take the challenge of his chosen path and achieve it for themselves. This successful teaching of others is the ultimate morality, for it is beneficial to others as much as it is beneficial to Jack. Some may, in fact, achieve at a greater pace than Jack, and they who do so may return the favor and teach Jack how they have achieved, thus reciprocating morality in kind. After all, what is morality but the sharing of benefit to one another, individually to each agreeable individual?
    badger
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    I have no argument at current for either of these, although I do fancy the individualism one. I am quite drunk, to be honest. I would like to offer instead the argument that men never actually fought lions in the Colosseum. (I should warn, I googled that word ten times and just couldn't figure it out, before finally deciding to just right click it.) But the reason is simple. If men fought lions then, how come there is not one single video on youtube of a man fighting a lion today? Not one. Surely there would be even one. Now I know my argument is flawed from the beginning, there's a hole or two I could poke in it for sure, even drunk as I am. I've not much researched this argument even; if you would like to provide a video of a man fighting a lion, I would only be too happy to be refuted. But how come there is not one video of a man fighting a lion? I've never seen one. You'd think I would have. I'm going to offer up now a topic of "a man should fight a lion" for the next round of this, if we do get another round of this. Even though I have not made an argument supporting anything in the OP, I will invite you to upvote this argument all the same, and encourage you to upvote this proposed topic. I might try tomorrow with the individualism one.
    Discipulus_Didicit
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    Thank you Oromagi for taking my suggestion to include both tied top topic suggestions. I think that your choice to do so will work out well, giving a chance to discuss the possibility of doing things like this in the future while simultaneously having an actual topic to look at in the form of username's suggestion.

    Now to my actual affirmation...

    UNCONVENTIONAL DEBATE FORMATS SUCH as THAT in THIS THREAD SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED

    Back in the days of DDO I remember often struggling through the debate section to find some debate topic that had not been used fifty times before.  For a site founded, as DDO was, on the principals of maximizing ad revenue while minimi... *ahem*... I mean on the principals of provoking intellectual discussions of topics between people of disparate cultures and ways of thinking, seeing four copies of "God is Real" or "Socialism vs Capitalism" on your screen at the same time was plain disheartening. In that respect the difference between what I remember of DDO and what we see today on DART is noticeable, and all for the better. However, if users better utilizing the tools provided to them to formulate new discussions is something to be commended then how much more commendable for them to fashion entirely new tools of their own? Oromagi and his Thumb Wars are not the first go at such a thing either. User-organized bracket tournaments and community-driven live debates are just a few examples of unique formats that have encouraged user enthusiasm and participation by 'spicing things up a bit'. The Thumb War idea is particularly notable however for existing exclusively on the forums, which happens to also be where many users spend the majority of their time on the site and so is more likely to garner participation thus helping to achieve the goal of preventing stagnation of the site and it's user base.
    oromagi
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