Arguments

A brief Facebook chat with an acquaintance about "trolls" got me thinking: what is the value in online discussion and debate with people I don't know too well?

The dishonest answer is that I'm honing my thinking and logic skills for future debates and discussions, but I think what's really going on is two-layered. First, I think there's a subconscious need to have or seek a "right" answer: now that I've formed a fairly cogent (though oft changing) worldview, but that I can only improve it by taking my arguments to the shed and see who can beat up on them.  This is fed with things I post on other sites. Second, though, I think I enjoy putting my ideas out there - that they have worth and value to a discussion, no matter what sort of stuff I respond to, and that something positive can come out of their presentation to a reader.

But is feeling good justification for doing this? Is this really the best sort of entertainment?

Hrmmm.