Don't know if this belongs in here or not, but I just thought I'd let you guys know and why.
There are people in this forum who, despite political differences, I've always gotten along with, and always liked. But lately, I'm just so sick of the right/left, partisan divide, and the cheap shots (which I've slung plenty of myself), and the non-stop arguing back and forth. It's leading me to really not like people that I would otherwise probably get along with just fine. The time I have spent in here has led me to the conclusion that nobody's going to change their minds.
Right after the election, I swore off politics. Too much stress, too much division, no effort from either side to bridge the gap. After the dust had settled, I came to my senses and actually made an effort to reach out to certain people and try to say, "Hey, you know what? Let's disagree, but we're still Americans at the end of the day, and we should not forget that." It felt good. Two months post-election, it feels like it might as well be late October again. All the negativity has returned, all the pointless back and forth, and I've come to realize that my words here either fall on deaf ears, or on those who already feel the same way I do. It's pointless.
So, News and Debate, I bid you farewell. I feel sad for the state of our country right now, and I am scared of what the future might hold for us all. But it doesn't matter, because I'm not in charge, and the people who are don't seem to care what people like me think. So, it's on them. I wish them the best of luck--they're gonna need it.

Ara

Ara, I think it depends on what you want to get out of a debate that can be split and heated. Even if people are stubborn and dont seem like they want to change thier minds ever, it can quite often be the case that something that was said will stick in their mids and they will think about it, and then later on they will become more confortable with it. I know it's happened to me where I didnt really agree with what someone had said, but the more I thought about it, I came to see that they might be right. But that could happen a week or more later. Ya never know.

Also, there are things that you can get out of a debate personally by arguing a side. You become more familiar with the details and what other people think, which help you make up your own mind about something. I think most of the good stuff that comes out of a debate doest always happen DURING the debate, but after it, when people have had time for some new ideas to sink in.

If you take a break from N&D, I hope you come back.

[my 2 cents]

im not in the US, and as such i've still made a point of avoiding any real political debate, mostly because i don't really know what im talking about in most cases, but really because its not my country and i don't really belong in any debate about your politics and leaders. that being said i really don't think you should give up, but i can see the frustration, and im sure everybody feels it. You're living in a country thats fiercely divided on some key issues. I think both sides need to be open to reason, or nothing will ever be resolved.

[/my 2 cents]

I don't follow politics much anymore after the election. I lived off of the cable news channels, now I barely watch them. No point in getting agitated with how Georgie is fucking up America when I can't do anything about it.

here here... this board has been pretty pointless for a while now... you made some really great points, and i couldnt agree with you more... it's like all you have to do is read the poster's name and you can pretty much figure out what they are going to say... pretty lame... and the funny part is that pearl jam fans (me included) all want to act so open-minded.... pffft

*cheapshots ara in the kidney*

And we have a winner...

*whispers* Is Ara gone yet?


Yay!! Now we can start working together to solve the world's problems!!!





--PunkDavid (you'll be back, you can't live without me)

(please come back)

Talk about an understatement. We know it to be true, yet the sad part is no one on this board allows for compromise and we expect it in the halls of Congress. Why would our representatives cooperate when thier constituencies refuse to do so?

good point

Yeah, that's exactly the issue I think ElPhantasmo was talking about with the partisanship and whatnot. We all have our political ideals, and we all preach compromise, but how many of us are actually facilitating compromise? The attitude is if two other parties are opposed, they need to compromise, but if my party is involved, I get my way.

N&D used to be a much different forum. I spent a good amount of time just reading what people wrote and honestly being impressed with how articulate, intelligent, and aware of current events everyone was.
It gave me a lot of hope for what the future might hold what with all of you just coming into your own in the world and what you might be able to do with this level of discussion and debate. I don't really feel that way so much right now, and have subsequently stayed out of this forum because of it.
Certainly there were heated debates and very different points of view being presented but some of the main contributors have since gone from RM altogether, as is evident in every forum.
I spent a lot of time in the "Moving Train" forum at synergy and hated what it degraded into: sniping, name-calling, extremist talk on all sides... I left synergy for good because of it (with a few other reasons), which is why I was so fond of this board's News area.
I dunno Ara, I understand what you mean, and I agree to an extent, I guess for me it has more to do with the people who are doing the debating than what's being debated anymore.
I read posts here still but it's not often I feel moved to comment anymore if only because I find it a pointless exercise.
See you on the flip side.

I take about 10 people in N&D seriously.

Well... 9, now.

Don't give up Ara! But if you do, it's been real.

*fists in the air in the land of hippocrissy*

the left and right paradigm is a phony hobson's choice used to lead those down shallow paths of thought

Sorry to hear this, Ara, hopefully you reconsider in the future. I have to admit that I don't quite understand where you're coming from though. I'm sure you saw what the board was like leading up to the election, things are much more peaceful and less "partisan" now if you ask me. I also find it very refreshing to see more people posting point of views that I disagree with, it'd be a very boring board if every post was "me too!" Sure, things can get heated sometimes, but honestly that only gives me more hope for the future that people are passionate enough about their ideology. You call it "back and forth" and pointless, I think it couldn't be further from the truth. Most people would be hesitant to tell others that they've changed their position on something or that the "other side" is right, but I know I've certainly had my eyes opened many a time.

The one thing I would like to see is more discussion topics as opposed to news items. But I'm guilty of that as well, I haven't been very active in here lately because of my workload. I've been wanting to start this one disussion thread for a while and everytime I sit down, I realize there are 10 other things I need to do first.

Such is life. Take a break, relax, think things over. No need to be "final" about leaving N&D

'Ol Crusty

Time for another break folks, or I'm going to end up living out my GTA: San Andreas fantasies about blowing up shit with a rocket launcher. See you soon; happy debating!

Ara

I tried to take a break from RM altogether. I was going to take 3 days. Immediately in day one I started reading the news and was going crazy, "Holy crap! This is terrible! I have to post this, people won't believe it!" "Wow! That was worded perfectly, I'm putting that in the Frist thread." ... that kind of stuff.

I couldn't make it a day and half. This is where I come to discuss stuff and get perspective on stuff. There's always a few threads that go in the shitter. There are a few that I just stop opening or stop responding too, but there is waaaay too much good stuff in here to give up N&D.

Besides, you're one of the solid folks that holds this place together.

Take a weekend. Come back on Monday.

a wise man once said:

"the only people who seem willing to actually consider different ideas are, by nature, the ones who I don't feel the need to try to persuade."

come on back, dude.

I'll miss your commentary, but I know exactly where you are coming from. I stopped watching the news or reading the newspaper because of the bipartisan-shit. Makes me want to drive my VW into the nearest W-sticker toting SUV.

As pathetic as this is, I get my news from here now...

Hope you come back when you feel you can deal with it all w/o resorting to rocket launchers

Take good, gentle care of yourself, Ara.

Can you at least send GreedyGreeny in your place?