What do you think is the best way to do Internet Debating? What would you like to see happen?

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If it were agreed by all parties in the debate that it is an active debate, then I desire to see a moderator who actively moderates the debate.

I think the rules that are suggested for debate in the debate forum of this message board are very good suggestions for any one of us to utilize. Yet, what I observe happening is lots of little debates throughout almost every subforum that go almost unchecked....unless they get to a point that is perceived to break forum guidelines. And this isn't unique to this forum, at least in my experience.

I think when people are approaching that point of "agree to disagree" that a debate as suggested in the debate guidelines would be a really good thing. Cause chances are, both parties were not using any rules for the discussion other than "I'm gonna be as polite as I possibly can be in relation to what 'you' are saying." And while this can work very effectively for general discourse, it may be rather ineffective once the line of debate and strong disagreement has been crossed. Instead of stopping the discussion right there, I believe the parties could agree that they are disagreeing and debate it. Continue the discussion in a way that brings about some agreed resolution rather than sloughing it off to "let's just admit that we both have nothing to talk about and no common ground anymore in this situation."

I believe if there were active 3rd party moderators involved that it would be unlikely to get to such a place of quiet desperation and abandonment.

That's all for now,

J