RUN AWAY! How Do You Escape Online Discussions?

[Pyrian]

Honestly, most "discussion" is a waste of time. The moment I catch even the slightest whiff that the person I'm disagreeing with is arguing for the sake of arguing, I just stop posting. It's not like they're going to be convincing anybody else because I didn't bother to correct a paper-thin fallacy.

 

[Tanis]

I stop posting.

Let the fool(s) think they've won.

It's the internet, it's not worth an ulcer.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Honestly, most "discussion" is a waste of time. The moment I catch even the slightest whiff that the person I'm disagreeing with is arguing for the sake of arguing, I just stop posting. It's not like they're going to be convincing anybody else because I didn't bother to correct a paper-thin fallacy.

I find this is the best approach, it's simple and effective.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, I generally stop replying, I don't bother with a "hell with it, I'm done".

Though, a little while a go a number of people would respond to the last thing the other person had said (often in detail), and then say they didn't want to carry on the conversation, so they could get the last word in and then stop the conversation. Which seemed really annoying.

 

[Albino Boo]

I line up their avatar between my thumb and forefinger and say "I crush your head" and then stop replying to the magic bean brigade.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

If they are hostile from the very instant they quoted me, I don't even bother a response.

If they quote me with genuine interest, I do my best to explain my views, if they become hostile during the process, I stop responding.

If they stay civil but we're just not going to agree, I tell them "It doesn't look like we're going to agree on this, but I've enjoyed our conversation." and then I stop responding.

A lot of arguments aren't even about the OP anyway, they start about the OP and then go wayyy off-topic or they're about some minor thing somebody through out and the whole argument starts off-topic.

I don't mind a contrasting viewpoint, how am I supposed to learn, change or strengthen my own stance if my views are never challenged? I would just prefer to do so with a person who also wants to have a conversation, rather than win. I have no problem saying "You're right, thank you for the correction" or if it's based on a misunderstanding "I apologize, that was not my intention".

 

[Coruptin]

If I don't want to talk to someone I just stop talking to them.

Just add them to the ignore list and don't bother responding. It's not like you're gonna see them in real life.

I would never do this though. Limiting the range of opinions I come across would be intellectual suicide. I don't converse so I can be comforted by an echo chamber.

 

[anthony87]

The way it works for me is I have this sort of "Eureka!" moment where I realise "Hang on a second.....do I really give that much of a fuck?"

More often than not the answer is "No."

I then go play video games.

 

[FalloutJack]

You must be confusing me for someone with low stamina. If the other party wants to embarass themselves by continually posting stuff that doesn't make sense, things that drag out a conversation pointlessly, that's their problem. They resort to that sort of thing when I have them pinned to the ground and they can't move. Eventually, they'll run out of hot air. It isn't so much about me being right as it is an object lesson on how not to behave around me. When someone has a point or a curiosity worth merit, I give it to them. If they do not, I instruct them otherwise. Doing otherwise means that they will not learn, and we can't have that.

 

[IceForce]

I never run away. I never given in. Not a single inch is ever relinquished.

In fact, *I'm* the guy that people are usually running away from.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I leave the site forever.

With the exception of right now.

I think there's a flaw in my plan somewhere.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

If it becomes absolutely clear that the point the other person is trying to make is one that I cannot be convinced of, and the same is true of me attempting to persuade them to no avail, and we've basically already exhausted all other ideas, I simply tell them that we'll have to agree to disagree. Perhaps that sounds like a cop-out, but I have a fairly busy life, and as I don't have limitless time to butt heads with someone, I just bow out in the most polite way I can.

Discussion is perfectly fine, I like talking with people I don't necessarily agree with, I welcome new ideas, but that does not mean I always adopt them as my own. There is also a distinct difference between a discussion and an argument. I'll use the same line when someone is basically just quoting the one thing from my post and refusing to acknowledge anything else I'm saying, because all they want is to be right and not take anything else away from it. I have no interest in continuing to humor someone who desperately wants to believe they are the smartest voice in the room, when in reality, they are merely the loudest.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

For me, I do one of three things dependent on my mood with the discussion:

1. If I'm angry at the person I hotly contest all their points, then tell them that because of their stance we're not going to agree, and that I'm done arguing the point with them.

2. If I'm depressed or apathetic about the debate then I just stop posting, same with if I'm frustrated with the person, but just sick of arguing with them.

3. If the person is constantly antagonistic, hostile, seem to be sniping at me, or routinely belligerent with me, or they go into the extreme depths of transphobia, then I just put them on my ignore list. Some whom are totally beyond redemption, never get their posts even looked at from then on, others I'll check out what they have to say.

 

[Michel Henzel]

Play video games, watch anime. Done.
It's not that hard .

 

[Ryallen]

I say that I stop when they stop, but more often than not I find that I'm the one who stops before the other guy. Hell, I even said that I didn't even want to talk about a particular issue anymore and the guy literally bragged about it on the comments section. Which is really weird, because in the argument, as far as I could tell, HE was the one with the moral high ground. Which, in hindsight, makes me think that he's just a dickhead in general if he bragged about being in the right, which defeats the purpose of being morally correct in hindsight. Bragging that you won the fight as the good guy? Really? Eh.

 

[RedRockRun]

Everyone has their breaking point. You just to make sure that yours is higher than the other person. From experience, it feels bad to both win and lose an online argument. Since I a fairly empathetic person, I don't enjoy the feeling of wearing a person down to the point where they give up, but it's just something that must be done. Honestly, does it feel better to walk away in defeat? So there's my advice, OP; don't escape. When you find yourself going through hell - keep going. Eventually the other person will relent.

 

[FPLOON]

Spoiler: RUN AWAY!!!!

https://towsonsam.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/ed-edd-eddy-running-in-circle.gif

OT: When worse comes to worse, I use a smoke bomb...
http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/5057410/data/smoke-bombs-gif-data.gif
Too bad I always have a limited supply because they take a while to make and Mikey keeps using them for pointless intents in general...

I leave the site forever.

Spoiler: Does it usually play out like this?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc2j8bSj361qakrdzo1_250.gif

 

[MHR]

Don't even post in the first place.

... aw crap