1. This is a MTG site after all. Gamers as a whole tend to be left-leaning. If they are not economically leaning to the left, then they are at the very least socially liberal. When's the last time you saw someone who is socially conservative playing Magic?
2. International posters. European countries (including Nordic countries as well as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) tend to prefer policies that give the government more control over an individual's life, especially in the economy.
But even with that all said, there are people here on the right if you look close enough.
- mystery45 is a modern conservative.
- Fresh Prince is likely a constitutional conservative. I'd probably say the same thing for Vestar too.
- IcecreamMan80 is a minarchist.
- Undisputed, ljossberir, and myself are anarcho-capitalists.
Didn't mystery leave precisely because this complaint, though?
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Commander Decks G MGC WB Teysa Tokens BR Wortsnort UG 23.5-No Edric URG Noncombo Animar GUB Damia Stax WBR Alesha Hatebear Recursion WBR Daddy Tariel UBR [Je]love-a Your Deck GWU Almost Critterless Enchantress WUB Sydri+Artifacts=WUB WURG Glint-Eye Combo
EDIT: Just one look at the duck dynasty thread and it should become absolutely clear why anyone who falls outside of the american left is staying away from this subforum.
How so?
Anecdotally, I tend to avoid this forum specifically because of the dogged way some social conservatives argued their points. Even when I do participate, more often than not it's only fleeting as I find many here argue in circles and aren't interested in listening, understanding and debating but rather beating points repeatedly. It's tiresome despite the leftist lean of Debate, particularly given some of the disheartening attitudes being espoused.
I know this is a little off topic, but now I'm wondering if you could create a psychological profile of "the Internet" itself by looking at the demographic of people most likely to post (and by assuming the sounding board effect would amplify the voice of the majority).
Seems to me the Internet would be a non-religious democratic white man.
All I saw in that thread was a sea of anti-religious and other leftist bigotry running unchecked.
I don't think anyone is saying that right-leaning members are perfect, though. Just that the vocal leftist are a pretty good example of the worst this forum has to offer.
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I'll echo some of the other posts and point out that most English-speaking countries have a political centre positioned to the left of the political centre of the USA, and Magic's an international game.
I'd certianly expect the 'average' viewpoint here (if there is such a thing) to be positioned somewhere in the American left.
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I am willing to bet my collection that Frozen and Solid are not on the same card. For example, Frozen Tomb and Solid Wall.
If Frozen Solid is not reprinted, you are aware that I'm quoting you in my sig for eternity?
1. This is a MTG site after all. Gamers as a whole tend to be left-leaning. If they are not economically leaning to the left, then they are at the very least socially liberal. When's the last time you saw someone who is socially conservative playing Magic?
2. International posters. European countries (including Nordic countries as well as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) tend to prefer policies that give the government more control over an individual's life, especially in the economy.
But even with that all said, there are people here on the right if you look close enough.
- mystery45 is a modern conservative.
- Fresh Prince is likely a constitutional conservative. I'd probably say the same thing for Vestar too.
- IcecreamMan80 is a minarchist.
- Undisputed, ljossberir, and myself are anarcho-capitalists.
Didn't mystery leave precisely because this complaint, though?
And billy/fresh prince keep getting suspended for getting repeated infracted for flaming/stonewalling/trolling. Mystery has, iirc, had previous forced breaks from the forum. The guy argued in circles and was rarely able to offer much in the way of support for his opinions.
Wouldn't we expect someone bad at debate to find some self serving and grandiose final words to shelter his ego?
Are we really going to miss badly researched walls of text written without serious attention to grammar and punctuation?
This is not the place for backbiting. - Blinking Spirit
One of my favorite people on this forum is a conservative. I've bought books and read essays on his suggestion. I'm pretty sure BS has announced his non-liberalness at some point too.
Plus, conservative arguments in the mainstream have kind of sucked during the current presidency. If I had to sum them up it'd be (charitably) "reactionary and misinformed" and (uncharitably), well, less nice
All I saw in that thread was a sea of anti-religious and other leftist bigotry running unchecked.
Hmmm, I guess it's a perspective thing.
I don't think anyone is saying that right-leaning members are perfect, though. Just that the vocal leftist are a pretty good example of the worst this forum has to offer.
I think that's a pretty hefty accusation. I'd argue that the left, centre, right, etc all have proponents on the forum that would qualify as some of the worst the forum have to offer. Some people just suck, it's not a trait of any one political leaning. I think vilifying any one side of the political spectrum here is narrow-minded at best.
Because debating 10 people is fun once and awhile, getting drowned out by a mob gets dull after awhile.
I still miss the days of Infamousbearassasin , but in reality the forums themselves have seemed to dwindle. Outside of the spoiler forum not a lot of traffic these days.
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Don't you see that the whole aim of Moderators is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make infractions literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten.
1) America has become incredibly polarised, and anyone on either side in America is going to misjudge the center in America by a fair margin fairly often because of this.
2) The center-left in america would be a center or center right party in 90% of the rest of the world (on most issues, anyway). This isn't a particularly new phenomenon. Most dems would be moderate Liberals here - no, not liberals, Liberals. (our right wing party are called the Liberal party because, well, the same reason north korea is the democratic anything of anywhere)
And billy/fresh prince keep getting suspended for getting repeated infracted for flaming/stonewalling/trolling. Mystery has, iirc, had previous forced breaks from the forum. The guy argued in circles and was rarely able to offer much in the way of support for his opinions.
Which is exactly why we need to scrutinize the claim the OP is making, which leaves nebulous who, precisely, is being driven out of the forums.
If he's talking about the users we've gotten over the years in the Religion subforum who support more conservative Christian positions, then you're most likely dealing with the more extreme users whose posts are characterized by unsubstantiated arguments, ignorance as to the subject matter, and circular reasoning. The fact that these members don't receive support and are being moved out isn't some problem that is afflicting the forums, it is exactly how the free interchange of ideas should work. These arguments aren't being rejected unfairly, they're being rejected because they're bad arguments.
And indeed, is no different from the people who make terrible arguments about any other religious position, including atheism. We've had all sorts on that subforum. The problem is not the religious position, but the quality of the poster.
But all of this is speculation because, again, the OP isn't saying who's being driven out, so all we have is innuendo. Essentially, we're being asked to have a discussion around the motives of an unnumbered, unspecified group of people, and as such, we're asked to speculate on the motives of anyone and no one. This does not make for a productive conversation.
I'd like to point out that, to me, you're one of the biggest problems on here. Every post of yours that I can remember is either an insult or dripping with a disgusting amount of sarcasm, and you (unfortunately) rarely get called out on it or stop. Its people like you that drive away opposing viewpoints.
Nothing productive is achieved by treating idiots like wisemen and *******s like gentlemen.
EDIT: Just one look at the duck dynasty thread and it should become absolutely clear why anyone who falls outside of the american left is staying away from this subforum.
Because they can't stand having their beliefs challenged?
Depends on the litmus you use I'd say, personally.
During election cycles you can see it occur in the political world a lot where a single defection in opinion is suddenly 'liberal' or a 'RINO'. When the litmus to be 'right' is complete ideological purity besides whatever blind spots you allow voluntarily or involuntarily everything will feel like it skews off of that as a majority.
The same isn't a 'right' exclusive phenomena either, find someone hard line 'left' (which admittedly is rather hard to do they are a rarer breed - what's media portrayed as hard left is barely left of center in most cases...) and their observations would likely be similar. But the media fortunately doesn't get gungho about promoting 'not really a democrat' type nonsense outside of one instance in recent memory because the party doesn't mind ideological diversity.
In a nutshell, I think it comes down to the intolerance for ideological diversity that promotes it. I certainly hope it is, after all - that's why I no longer consider myself very right anymore. Most of my goals are right in line, but the methods I almost alwaysdisagree with - and versus my early ddays of politics there's a night and day difference with how variant methods are received. Especially ones that involve refinement to something over scrapping and restarting which is always going to be problematic. (The 'beta software' effect - think about the last time you got a 1.0 program that never needed further patching... Laws are similar to me managed appropriately by their guardians)
Anyhow TTFN lost my care about debate and debating mostly. The attrition isn't completely one sided...(although I still maintain I'm barely left)
I'd like to point out that, to me, you're one of the biggest problems on here. Every post of yours that I can remember is either an insult or dripping with a disgusting amount of sarcasm, and you (unfortunately) rarely get called out on it or stop. Its people like you that drive away opposing viewpoints.
Nothing productive is achieved by treating idiots like wisemen and *******s like gentlemen.
There's a lovely grey area though between what you're describing and derision. If an argument is weak, then it should not require that the debater belittle and dismiss his opponent. I always find that adding snark to a winning argument just makes you look like an ass, but that's just me
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1) There are people from a lot of different countries on these boards. The "Right" in virtually every other country is left of the American political center.
2) People here are young for the most part. Young people are more liberal, especially on social issues. Even young Republicans are often liberal on social issues.
3) The American Right has shifted incredibly far to the right recently, so the left and the right have a larger gap between them then they did previously. Anyone in the center or even center-right could now be considered "left" on most issues.
And billy/fresh prince keep getting suspended for getting repeated infracted for flaming/stonewalling/trolling. Mystery has, iirc, had previous forced breaks from the forum. The guy argued in circles and was rarely able to offer much in the way of support for his opinions.
Which is exactly why we need to scrutinize the claim the OP is making, which leaves nebulous who, precisely, is being driven out of the forums.
If he's talking about the users we've gotten over the years in the Religion subforum who support more conservative Christian positions, then you're most likely dealing with the more extreme users whose posts are characterized by unsubstantiated arguments, ignorance as to the subject matter, and circular reasoning. The fact that these members don't receive support and are being moved out isn't some problem that is afflicting the forums, it is exactly how the free interchange of ideas should work. These arguments aren't being rejected unfairly, they're being rejected because they're bad arguments.
And indeed, is no different from the people who make terrible arguments about any other religious position, including atheism. We've had all sorts on that subforum. The problem is not the religious position, but the quality of the poster.
But all of this is speculation because, again, the OP isn't saying who's being driven out, so all we have is innuendo. Essentially, we're being asked to have a discussion around the motives of an unnumbered, unspecified group of people, and as such, we're asked to speculate on the motives of anyone and no one. This does not make for a productive conversation.
You're right. no one has been driven out. except the right wing EXTREMISTS. Anyone who has been driven out and no longer posts in these forums, please post in this forum to confirm you have been driven out.
OP is clearly stirring up ****, he's stirring up **** because I say he is. I'm going to go post in the "are right wingers inherently racist" thread because I've seen way more conservative EXTREMISM in this thread than I can handle. blinking spirit, please go ahead and ban the OP for insulting the hivemind. er, i mean "trolling"
1) There are people from a lot of different countries on these boards. The "Right" in virtually every other country is left of the American political center.
2) People here are young for the most part. Young people are more liberal, especially on social issues. Even young Republicans are often liberal on social issues.
3) The American Right has shifted incredibly far to the right recently, so the left and the right have a larger gap between them then they did previously. Anyone in the center or even center-right could now be considered "left" on most issues.
Nailed it on all three of these. (2) is why you had Republicans - even some evangelical Christian Republicans - abandoning their anti-gay marriage positions last year as a lost cause. (3) is the root of the RINO phenomenon, where Chris Christie and Mitt Romney - both guys who would have been considered fairly far right conservatives a decade ago - are alleged to 'really' be liberals at heart.
I think - but can't prove - that there are demographic issues beyond youth at play as well. For example, increased education correlates with being liberal, for whatever reason. If increased education also correlates with increased odds of playing Magic: the Gathering, then you'd expect this board to skew left for that reason alone.
(1) alone would have been enough, by the way. The way the internet works right now, we are rarely exposed to those who genuinely challenge our views. Our social networks and search engines automatically filter out or downweight content that we disagree with. We have rather rapidly lost our ability to deal with substantially different views as we've been enclosed in our various technologically enforced echo chambers. I'd bet that if the board originally skewed left, it would automatically skew further and further left as right wingers filtered themselves out of the conversation just because it sucks feeling like everyone is against you. This would happen without any malicious intent by anyone - it'd just be an automatic consequence of the way we consume media today.
(1) alone would have been enough, by the way. The way the internet works right now, we are rarely exposed to those who genuinely challenge our views. Our social networks and search engines automatically filter out or downweight content that we disagree with. We have rather rapidly lost our ability to deal with substantially different views as we've been enclosed in our various technologically enforced echo chambers. I'd bet that if the board originally skewed left, it would automatically skew further and further left as right wingers filtered themselves out of the conversation just because it sucks feeling like everyone is against you. This would happen without any malicious intent by anyone - it'd just be an automatic consequence of the way we consume media today.
Anecdotally I'll admit that my "tumblr liberal" friends seem to be products of extreme insularity and self-congratulation but this is not a new problem. Media sources have always been able to pick and choose their writers and their topics. The same processes that delay output in traditional media also give the editors greater control over the final product, I believe one study even found greater ideological consistency in newspapers.
Anecdotally I'll admit that my "tumblr liberal" friends seem to be products of extreme insularity and self-congratulation but this is not a new problem. Media sources have always been able to pick and choose their writers and their topics. The same processes that delay output in traditional media also give the editors greater control over the final product, I believe one study even found greater ideological consistency in newspapers.
A possible problem with the internet is that it exacerbates this.
Yes. You can certainly find a newspaper that supports your view, but that is merely one source. Nor does a newspaper talk back to you and agree with every little thing you say.
The internet, particularly forums like these, allow the above. You meet a couple people who agree with everything you say, and they point you to other people who agree with everything you say. Eventually you become surrounded by people who just agree with what you say, and you become deluded.
Anecdotally I'll admit that my "tumblr liberal" friends seem to be products of extreme insularity and self-congratulation but this is not a new problem. Media sources have always been able to pick and choose their writers and their topics. The same processes that delay output in traditional media also give the editors greater control over the final product, I believe one study even found greater ideological consistency in newspapers.
A possible problem with the internet is that it exacerbates this.
Yes. You can certainly find a newspaper that supports your view, but that is merely one source. Nor does a newspaper talk back to you and agree with every little thing you say.
The internet, particularly forums like these, allow the above. You meet a couple people who agree with everything you say, and they point you to other people who agree with everything you say. Eventually you become surrounded by people who just agree with what you say, and you become deluded.
I'd argue the opposite is more true.
While the internet does provide a method to isolate yourself that is not new. The new thing the internet does is facilitate leaving isolation.
Any belief (or even an outright lie) can be presented with confidence by a skilled speaker. I like to know I'm not being swayed by rhetoric so I've gotten into the habit of trying not to believe things I can't defend. The internet allows me to quickly find detractors if I wash (still looking for a good takedown of Bayesian statistics to study). Fifty years ago if someone told me "Only two historical documents reference Caesar" I would probably just roll my eyes and leave, now I can go check the standing of that belief and potentially change my mind if it turns out to be true.
While the internet does provide a method to isolate yourself that is not new. The new thing the internet does is facilitate leaving isolation.
It does. Not a lot of people use it for that purpose though. That you do doesn't mean much in regards to the population at large.
Most people like finding people that they connect and agree with. The internet allows this rather superbly, and as such lead to people getting ridiculously narrow-minded.
While the internet does provide a method to isolate yourself that is not new. The new thing the internet does is facilitate leaving isolation.
It does. Not a lot of people use it for that purpose though. That you do doesn't mean much in regards to the population at large.
Most people like finding people that they connect and agree with. The internet allows this rather superbly, and as such lead to people getting ridiculously narrow-minded.
I'm saying that you're position is true but has been stripped of relevant context.
"Irish people have foot bones specialized for running." is true but only because that is true of all humans so the statement is disingenuous.
"The internet lets people isolate themselves." is true but only because it is true of all media sources so the statement is misleading.
The internet has not isolated us, that has always been an issue. We are ideological isolated today for the same reason we were fifty years ago. That we happen to be isolated on the internet is an accident of history. Whatever the popular medium of the day is gets used. People could subscribe to The Libertarian Review and to The New York Times but they generally do not.
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Didn't mystery leave precisely because this complaint, though?
G MGC
WB Teysa Tokens
BR Wortsnort
UG 23.5-No Edric
URG Noncombo Animar
GUB Damia Stax
WBR Alesha Hatebear Recursion
WBR Daddy Tariel
UBR [Je]love-a Your Deck
GWU Almost Critterless Enchantress
WUB Sydri+Artifacts=WUB
WURG Glint-Eye Combo
How so?
Anecdotally, I tend to avoid this forum specifically because of the dogged way some social conservatives argued their points. Even when I do participate, more often than not it's only fleeting as I find many here argue in circles and aren't interested in listening, understanding and debating but rather beating points repeatedly. It's tiresome despite the leftist lean of Debate, particularly given some of the disheartening attitudes being espoused.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Seems to me the Internet would be a non-religious democratic white man.
Good question.
All I saw in that thread was a sea of anti-religious and other leftist bigotry running unchecked.
I don't think anyone is saying that right-leaning members are perfect, though. Just that the vocal leftist are a pretty good example of the worst this forum has to offer.
G MGC
WB Teysa Tokens
BR Wortsnort
UG 23.5-No Edric
URG Noncombo Animar
GUB Damia Stax
WBR Alesha Hatebear Recursion
WBR Daddy Tariel
UBR [Je]love-a Your Deck
GWU Almost Critterless Enchantress
WUB Sydri+Artifacts=WUB
WURG Glint-Eye Combo
I'd certianly expect the 'average' viewpoint here (if there is such a thing) to be positioned somewhere in the American left.
And billy/fresh prince keep getting suspended for getting repeated infracted for flaming/stonewalling/trolling. Mystery has, iirc, had previous forced breaks from the forum. The guy argued in circles and was rarely able to offer much in the way of support for his opinions.
Wouldn't we expect someone bad at debate to find some self serving and grandiose final words to shelter his ego?
Are we really going to miss badly researched walls of text written without serious attention to grammar and punctuation?
This is not the place for backbiting. - Blinking Spirit
One of my favorite people on this forum is a conservative. I've bought books and read essays on his suggestion. I'm pretty sure BS has announced his non-liberalness at some point too.
Plus, conservative arguments in the mainstream have kind of sucked during the current presidency. If I had to sum them up it'd be (charitably) "reactionary and misinformed" and (uncharitably), well, less nice
Hmmm, I guess it's a perspective thing.
I think that's a pretty hefty accusation. I'd argue that the left, centre, right, etc all have proponents on the forum that would qualify as some of the worst the forum have to offer. Some people just suck, it's not a trait of any one political leaning. I think vilifying any one side of the political spectrum here is narrow-minded at best.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
I still miss the days of Infamousbearassasin , but in reality the forums themselves have seemed to dwindle. Outside of the spoiler forum not a lot of traffic these days.
1) America has become incredibly polarised, and anyone on either side in America is going to misjudge the center in America by a fair margin fairly often because of this.
2) The center-left in america would be a center or center right party in 90% of the rest of the world (on most issues, anyway). This isn't a particularly new phenomenon. Most dems would be moderate Liberals here - no, not liberals, Liberals. (our right wing party are called the Liberal party because, well, the same reason north korea is the democratic anything of anywhere)
Which is exactly why we need to scrutinize the claim the OP is making, which leaves nebulous who, precisely, is being driven out of the forums.
If he's talking about the users we've gotten over the years in the Religion subforum who support more conservative Christian positions, then you're most likely dealing with the more extreme users whose posts are characterized by unsubstantiated arguments, ignorance as to the subject matter, and circular reasoning. The fact that these members don't receive support and are being moved out isn't some problem that is afflicting the forums, it is exactly how the free interchange of ideas should work. These arguments aren't being rejected unfairly, they're being rejected because they're bad arguments.
And indeed, is no different from the people who make terrible arguments about any other religious position, including atheism. We've had all sorts on that subforum. The problem is not the religious position, but the quality of the poster.
But all of this is speculation because, again, the OP isn't saying who's being driven out, so all we have is innuendo. Essentially, we're being asked to have a discussion around the motives of an unnumbered, unspecified group of people, and as such, we're asked to speculate on the motives of anyone and no one. This does not make for a productive conversation.
I was disagreeing.
Nothing productive is achieved by treating idiots like wisemen and *******s like gentlemen.
Because they can't stand having their beliefs challenged?
Don't leave us hanging here!
During election cycles you can see it occur in the political world a lot where a single defection in opinion is suddenly 'liberal' or a 'RINO'. When the litmus to be 'right' is complete ideological purity besides whatever blind spots you allow voluntarily or involuntarily everything will feel like it skews off of that as a majority.
The same isn't a 'right' exclusive phenomena either, find someone hard line 'left' (which admittedly is rather hard to do they are a rarer breed - what's media portrayed as hard left is barely left of center in most cases...) and their observations would likely be similar. But the media fortunately doesn't get gungho about promoting 'not really a democrat' type nonsense outside of one instance in recent memory because the party doesn't mind ideological diversity.
In a nutshell, I think it comes down to the intolerance for ideological diversity that promotes it. I certainly hope it is, after all - that's why I no longer consider myself very right anymore. Most of my goals are right in line, but the methods I almost alwaysdisagree with - and versus my early ddays of politics there's a night and day difference with how variant methods are received. Especially ones that involve refinement to something over scrapping and restarting which is always going to be problematic. (The 'beta software' effect - think about the last time you got a 1.0 program that never needed further patching... Laws are similar to me managed appropriately by their guardians)
Anyhow TTFN lost my care about debate and debating mostly. The attrition isn't completely one sided...(although I still maintain I'm barely left)
Re: People misusing the term Vanilla to describe a flying, unleash (sometimes trample) critter.
There's a lovely grey area though between what you're describing and derision. If an argument is weak, then it should not require that the debater belittle and dismiss his opponent. I always find that adding snark to a winning argument just makes you look like an ass, but that's just me
1) There are people from a lot of different countries on these boards. The "Right" in virtually every other country is left of the American political center.
2) People here are young for the most part. Young people are more liberal, especially on social issues. Even young Republicans are often liberal on social issues.
3) The American Right has shifted incredibly far to the right recently, so the left and the right have a larger gap between them then they did previously. Anyone in the center or even center-right could now be considered "left" on most issues.
You're right. no one has been driven out. except the right wing EXTREMISTS. Anyone who has been driven out and no longer posts in these forums, please post in this forum to confirm you have been driven out.
OP is clearly stirring up ****, he's stirring up **** because I say he is. I'm going to go post in the "are right wingers inherently racist" thread because I've seen way more conservative EXTREMISM in this thread than I can handle. blinking spirit, please go ahead and ban the OP for insulting the hivemind. er, i mean "trolling"
Nailed it on all three of these. (2) is why you had Republicans - even some evangelical Christian Republicans - abandoning their anti-gay marriage positions last year as a lost cause. (3) is the root of the RINO phenomenon, where Chris Christie and Mitt Romney - both guys who would have been considered fairly far right conservatives a decade ago - are alleged to 'really' be liberals at heart.
I think - but can't prove - that there are demographic issues beyond youth at play as well. For example, increased education correlates with being liberal, for whatever reason. If increased education also correlates with increased odds of playing Magic: the Gathering, then you'd expect this board to skew left for that reason alone.
(1) alone would have been enough, by the way. The way the internet works right now, we are rarely exposed to those who genuinely challenge our views. Our social networks and search engines automatically filter out or downweight content that we disagree with. We have rather rapidly lost our ability to deal with substantially different views as we've been enclosed in our various technologically enforced echo chambers. I'd bet that if the board originally skewed left, it would automatically skew further and further left as right wingers filtered themselves out of the conversation just because it sucks feeling like everyone is against you. This would happen without any malicious intent by anyone - it'd just be an automatic consequence of the way we consume media today.
Anecdotally I'll admit that my "tumblr liberal" friends seem to be products of extreme insularity and self-congratulation but this is not a new problem. Media sources have always been able to pick and choose their writers and their topics. The same processes that delay output in traditional media also give the editors greater control over the final product, I believe one study even found greater ideological consistency in newspapers.
A possible problem with the internet is that it exacerbates this.
Yes. You can certainly find a newspaper that supports your view, but that is merely one source. Nor does a newspaper talk back to you and agree with every little thing you say.
The internet, particularly forums like these, allow the above. You meet a couple people who agree with everything you say, and they point you to other people who agree with everything you say. Eventually you become surrounded by people who just agree with what you say, and you become deluded.
I'd argue the opposite is more true.
While the internet does provide a method to isolate yourself that is not new. The new thing the internet does is facilitate leaving isolation.
Any belief (or even an outright lie) can be presented with confidence by a skilled speaker. I like to know I'm not being swayed by rhetoric so I've gotten into the habit of trying not to believe things I can't defend. The internet allows me to quickly find detractors if I wash (still looking for a good takedown of Bayesian statistics to study). Fifty years ago if someone told me "Only two historical documents reference Caesar" I would probably just roll my eyes and leave, now I can go check the standing of that belief and potentially change my mind if it turns out to be true.
It does. Not a lot of people use it for that purpose though. That you do doesn't mean much in regards to the population at large.
Most people like finding people that they connect and agree with. The internet allows this rather superbly, and as such lead to people getting ridiculously narrow-minded.
no one is saying we don't post for fear of offending others. we don't post because disagreeing with the hivemind is pointless.
Some reasons why this would attract individuals who sway to the left:
- younger
- many Europeans
I'm saying that you're position is true but has been stripped of relevant context.
"Irish people have foot bones specialized for running." is true but only because that is true of all humans so the statement is disingenuous.
"The internet lets people isolate themselves." is true but only because it is true of all media sources so the statement is misleading.
The internet has not isolated us, that has always been an issue. We are ideological isolated today for the same reason we were fifty years ago. That we happen to be isolated on the internet is an accident of history. Whatever the popular medium of the day is gets used. People could subscribe to The Libertarian Review and to The New York Times but they generally do not.