How-to with FNG. Episode 1: How-to talk politics on a message board.

[FNG]

Good afternoon everybody and welcome to How-to with FNG. This is our first show, and I hope you're all as excited as I am. Our first episode is on political threads on the TGR message board. As many of you know, they can be quite tricky if not handled properly. Hopefully, this guide will help you keep your political threads from turning into stupid flame wars.

Step 1: It's only the internet. Don't get emotionally invested in your post. Someone's going to disagree with you. Don't take it personally.

Step 2: If you have a point, prove it. Show some evidence if you've got it. If it's just a theory, present it as one. Don't expect people to take your opinion as fact.

Step 3: Ignore the bullshit. Ignore the trolls. Ignore the aliases (aliai). Ignore flames. Ignore the name calling.

Step 4: Same rules apply when replying. Pick a point, quote, and make a reasonable and defendable statement.

Step 5: Try to be open-minded, and consider the other view. When you realize it's full of shit, then say so. But give it a shot first. Most every opinion has its good and bad parts. Disagree with the bad parts, but don't forget to mention the good parts. Remember that pointing out one fallacy in someone's point does not make their entire statement invalid.

Step 6: Avoid logical fallacies. Statements like these are just silly:
I do X for a living, ergo I'm an expert on X.
I'm an expert on X, so everything I say about X is true.
X happened before Y, so X must have caused Y.
You disagree with me, so you must be stupid.
You are passionate about your differeing views, so you must be an asshole.
X lied once before so we can't believe him/her ever again.
X was wrong once before so he/she will be wrong every time now.
Majority rules makes it valid.

These are also silly:
Aggressive nit-picking.
Comparing apples to oranges.
Making analogies in an attempt to be clever when simply stating your point would get your idea across much clearer.
Character attacks - unless your thread is entitled "Bill Clinton is a sleeze-ball", bringing up his morality isn't relevent.

And the last step, step 7: Have fun! Enjoy the fact that in our respective countries and this internet place we can engage in political discussion. Use arguement constructively as a way to improve your ideas with points other people have said. Also, when being that other person, offer constructive criticism, not just "that's wrong and sucks." Don't let political arguement become simply a competition. Let the media handle that.

I hope you've all enjoyed our show, and hopefully learned something about how to engage in political discussion on the internet. We'll see you next time for another interesting and informative episode of How-to with FNG

[The Reverend Floater]

Fucking hippy bitch.

[optics]

Freedom is on the march.

[Tap]

I'm eagerly awaiting the episode on snapping pics of your ex-ho bag-girlfriends titties. awwwwwwww shit.

[DJSapp]

Where's my potato salad?

[Beaver]

What the fuck do you know you're just a Fucking New Guy.

[phUnk]

FNG is not actually black. Pass it on.

[AntiSoCalSkier]

Agressive nit-picking.

AGGRESSIVE!!!!!


IT HAS TWO "G"s YOU MORON!!!!!!!

[kchri]

FNG has way too much time on his hands...Oh, and I'm and expert because I have way too much time on my hands...

[FNG]

AGGRESSIVE!!!!!


IT HAS TWO "G"s YOU MORON!!!!!!!

Yeah, that's what I said.

[AntiSoCalSkier]

Yeah, that's what I said.

You might want to add something about using unethical editing to make the other guy look stupid.

[SugarDadyPrenup]

Comparing apples to oranges.
[/B]

What about comparing bitches to hoes?
I think hoes are better than bitches unless you get the bitches drunk on French Pimps. I'd compare bitches to biatches but that would be a character attack!

[FNG]

You might want to add something about using unethical editing to make the other guy look stupid.

Oh I don't need the edit to do that...

-edit- this is my 1,000th post. yay!

[hucksquaw]

What about comparing bitches to hoes?
I think hoes are better than bitches unless you get the bitches drunk on French Pimps. I'd compare bitches to biatches but that would be a character attack!

thats fuckin humor!!

[seldon]

Don't take it personal.

You can't fucking write well. It is "personally". If you can't spell, how can you expect to give advice. We don't take advice from illiterate fuckwits around here. [/beating a dead horse]

[FNG]

Seldon, you of all people should know about my mad post editing to make spelling nazis look stupid steeze.

[schuss]

Rule #1: if you're not a dirty commie, you're an ignorant fascist
Rule #2: Repeat after me "I'm right, you're wrong"

[iceman]

Well done, FNG. I look forward to the next episode and will read it.

Which is in stark contrast to the political threads, which I will not read (well, maybe I read some, but I sure don't reply), because those threads are just a bunch of headbashing and are not worthwhile of my time and energy, since noone ever changes their position. Ever. It's just yelling.

My political beliefs are as strong as anyone's. But mashing my forehead against a brick wall is not my style.

Too smooove for that.

[Free Range Lobster]

FNG is not actually black. Pass it on.

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