How to fight the urge to argue online.

[Shirastro]

Just write "Lol noob stfu" every time you are disagreeing with someone!

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Realize that a lot of people are actually looking for a fight online, which is why they will post something they know many people will disagree with. By looking at it that way, it's much easier to just walk away because you don't want to 'feed the troll' as the saying goes. Prime example would be to look at a lot of the titles of threads in the Religion and Politics section. The thread itself may be a well thought out argument, but when the title is mean to slap other people in the face and shout at them that they're wrong, well...you know right there that the whole point of the thread is to start a fight. So, avoid it.

 

[Oliver Horsley]

Think before you post. Think this... "What do I achieve by posting this? Is it going to make me feel better or make someone feel worse. Does this sound like an attack? Would I say that to the person's face?"

 

[Esotera]

Assume that if someone isn't understanding one of your points, that they are trolling, and just move on. Alternatively, just accept that you are infallible & couldn't possibly wrong about anything. It may be delusional, but it's a lot more fun.

 

[ScrubberDucky]

If you can find some kind of way to convince yourself that being aggressive and making other people aggressive and putting onlookers in a bad mood from all the aggression is just making the world a worse place altogether, you can probably take a large chunk out of confrontations.

On a more shallow hand, just realize that if it comes down to an argument, it'll be 1/50 times where you'll actually change someone's opinion. Most times you'll just set them in it more securely. So it's a waste of time on top of being bad for everyone. If you want to try and change someone's opinion, you have to do it in an amiable way. If it falls into aggression, it's failed and it's best to just walk away.

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

Why fight it? Let it consume you and dictate your actions. Do what ever it takes to win and then send them death threats if you lose. This is the God damned internet and this where real men argue and fight.

 

[EcoHulk]

I limit myself to reply to a comment once, and only once. A simple rule can really help.

 

[enzilewulf]

If I get quoted on a thread that I was heated when posting I usually don't reply anymore. I have been in my fair share of arguments here with some thick people who just didn't get it to people that were WWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY more informed than me and really were dominating me.

 

[yman15]

I tend to get into a lot of arguments online, and that's to be expected. People have different opinions and etc. etc.

But I really need to cut back on it. I do it way more than I should, and it's usually over stuff I don't even care about that much.

What do you guys do to avoid it? Every now and then I just muster up the strength to just leave a post that sums up my side and not click on the topic again, but sometimes that's not enough.

Any advice, or possibly your own stories on the matter, would be appreciated.

Pick your battles and the people you argue with lol. Look into the battle your about to enter if they have an angry tone and use words such as "fag,gay,fanboy,hater, any racial slurs and/or stereotypes, etc" you should probably just ignore them or if you really need to respond try taking a calm tone in your responce and refrain from using the aforementioned words above. I tried this once on a guy on youtube acting like a total dick and he actually acknowledged me and apologized! Treating people like equals can do wonders lol

 

[Irridium]

Also, I found this chart, and though of this thread.

Spoiler: spoiler'd for size

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Also, I found this chart, and though of this thread.

Spoiler: spoiler'd for size

I'm saving that. My method? Apathy. I really don't care about winning arguments online.

 

[ZeroMachine]

I try and have a civil argument, and then just say "fuck it" and leave if they're too stubborn or rude.

 

[FllippinIDIOT]

arguing on the internet is like the special olympics, even if you win you're still retarded.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

You're asking The Escapist how to avoid getting into arguments?

Dude, please let me give you a high-five right now!

OP: I'm not going to lie, i get into plenty of online arguments, especially here. They all end with me thinking the same old thing "why does this matter to me, what will I have accomplished?". I have been wrong in so many of them, and I have wronged others in them and I wish I could apologize to all of them for my immature behavior, I would apologize rgardless of who was right and who was wrong. However in most of the tedious arguments I was involved in, I actually learned something from each, and I believe that when we all realize what I have realized bit by bit, we will become stronger people. I realized that nothing good ever comes from arguing and fighting.

To all those I have argued with: I am sorry, I'm sorry for acting so immature and juvenile, and I am especially sorry for not respecting what you believe.

 

[Divine Miss Bee]

walk away from the computer. read a book, organize your desk, get a snack, whatever. just get away and do something else.