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Interesting trends in the Gulch

Posted by $ Susanne 11 years, 3 months ago to Philosophy
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I have been following with (not very) amused intrest how a lot of the conversations here in the Gulch go from their topic subject to either a heated debate about Religion, or, less frequently, a heated debate about Sexuality and Sex. It does wonders to boost a topic's point and post count... but really stinks when you see a good, timely, and interesting topic, go to add or comment, and it's now a theological or psychosexual discussion.

While I do know that Humanity tends to shy away from mental work, and instead default to the base and easy, I was surprised to see this becoming a rising trend here in the Gulch, and rising exponentially over the past 30-60 days.

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  • -2
    Posted by rlewellen 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Tell me what "atheism is not a philosophy" has to do with the topic. Answer nothing, putting it in there added nothing to the discussion neither did your defense of it.
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  • -1
    Posted by rlewellen 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Then take a look at Economic Freedom. He has many rational comments that are at zero.
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  • Posted by $ stargeezer 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm always fascinated to see posts from folks who oppose the mere mention of God, Jesus or faith, but jump off the deep end of intelligence when it's pointed out that secular humanism is just as much a "religion". I can only ask them how "church" was on The Huff Post this week?" and go onto a more fruitful discussion that's more appropriate to this site's reason for being.
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  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    show me a case of "gang up" on people due to popularity?
    this site is about Rand. It is about rational discussion. If the comment is irrational and someone has a history of not furthering a rational discussion-they should be voted down. and often are, because there are people in here who want the rational discussion. We can disagree. that's different.
    It's true, that someone pushing a irrational agenda is not likely "popular" on this site. If we were going to just devolve into a huffington post discussion-why have this site in the first place?
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  • -1
    Posted by rlewellen 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You are right discussing the topic can sew together that internal compromise. I had concerns about the anti Christian sentiments so I brought it up and we discussed it, I think I have a better sense of what the site is since then.
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  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    atheism is not a philosophy. On this site atheists tend to respond to religious themes, not initiate. The only posts I can think of where that isn't the case are those educating about the threat of Islam.
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  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 11 years, 3 months ago
    I think the swing toward religious/faith-oriented conversation in this website is in inevitable. Objectivism essentially disregards believing in a deity and that is troublesome for those who feel close kinship with many aspects of Rand's philosophy. Discussing this topic, with objectivity, can help sew together the internal compromise that many faith-oriented people have when it comes to Rand.
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  • Posted by John_Emerson 11 years, 3 months ago
    You don't have to reply to the last post, and perhaps by commenting or replying to a post that's still on-topic, you can help drag the conversation back to the original topic. What a concept!
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 11 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I would say it's the atheist hot button issues that are increasingly being discussed.
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  • -1
    Posted by rlewellen 11 years, 3 months ago
    The truth is that people on either side of the religious issue can drift away from doing the mental work. There have been very good scientific discussions on here and I for one enjoy the discussions. I have offered other scientific theories in the hope that someone else might have an alternative point of view. I like aternative points of view because they offer me the chance to learn something which I didn't know. I have seen that people tend to gang up to take away points from people they don't like. That is childish and this whole point system is becoming nothing better than a popularity contest. The first one to bring up religious issues should ask if that was part of the original post (both sides). I would like people that attach articles to check if the article adds any value to the topic. I am tired of reading nonsense.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 11 years, 3 months ago
    I quite agree. There seems to be some who wish to continually bring up provocative subjects, but are unwilling to start a separate thread... I know I like to meander, but I'm not looking to start a fight or ruin someone's thread...
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  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 3 months ago
    I'm not sure which posts you are referring to, but I agree that Christian hot button political issues are increasingly being discussed in the gulch lately. I would say there is probably an increase in the number of guests due to the filming of ASIII. For social conservatives, this site poses some dissonance. But there is much we can also agree on. Usually, when new guests come in, they feel the site out on these issues and then those conversations tend to die down-since this ultimately is a site promoting the ideas of Ayn Rand. My husband recently posted about the Philosophy of Science and it devolved very quickly into a religious driven agenda completely sidetracked from the post's point.
    If you are discussing meandering posts, however, that tend to go the way of adult humor, that is always going to happen, I predict, and I enjoy letting off a little steam in here occasionally. ;)
    There are few rules on this site and lots of free will.
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  • Posted by mminnick 11 years, 3 months ago
    I have noticed the same thing. Thought it was just my view of the world.
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