debate?

[asterroc]

Anyone here been on debate team ever? What is permissable? I'm specifically trying to figure out if name-calling and cursing are considered "debate". This comes from some trashtalking people on parrot_lovers were doing of me in the name of debate. To me it's a flame war, not a debate. Debate includes civil rational discussion with the presentation of facts and arguments, and the criticism of said facts/arguments, without ad hominem attacks. Flame wars consist primarily of personal attacks.

Comments

[tiurin.livejournal.com]

I took a look at the thread and community. Those people aren't interested in debate, they're more interested in holier-than-thou flaming.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Oh no, not at all, they're not flaming me, they're just making statements and I *choose* to interpret them as flaming. Plus, it's *me* that's on the high horse.

I have to say that while bloolark's comment (that I was possibly unfit for bird ownership) stung the most, she *did* say it in the best possible way. She just has unrealistic expectations and thinks that everyone else is as godlike as her.