Has an internet argument ever made you switch sides?

[Owen]

Simply put, has an argument on the internet ever caused you to switch your view on an issue to the opposite viewpoint? If it has never happened for a major issue (like abortion or immigration), has it ever happened with a minor one (like how original Lady Gaga is or whether Metallica or Megadeth are better)? And if that has never happened, have you ever altered your viewpoint as the result of an argument? An example of an alteration would be you coming out of an argument with a more moderate viewpoint, or with some of the details of your opinion changed, but the core of it remaining the same. Also, when I say argument, I mean a back-and-forth exchange between you and numerous other people that took place on a publicly-visible forum, in a comments section, or somewhere similar, not a one-on-one discussion or an article you read.

The reason I ask is that I recently saw an argument about abortion erupt in the comments section of a status posted by a friend of mine on Facebook. I said at one point in it, "I know none of us are going to change anyone else's mind," because I've never seen a debate, reasoned or otherwise, end with one person going, "You're right; I see the error in my previous viewpoint. Thank you for enlightening me, old chap." But just because I've never seen it happen doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

So, has it ever happened to you?

[Ghostly]

Nope , I've had arguments with people over the internet and they never change my opinion on the topic. Whether it be something minor like if Nicki Minaj's dress was original in the 2011 Vmas ( I believe it was) or about something more serious like how many kids people should be allowed to have (I think 2 should be the max number), my opinions have stayed the same.

[HazMattic_Force]

i have but thats because facts on both sides where brought to my attention on a subject that i was uneducated in but was a major thing for me . I believe so long as i am learning and adapting my opinions will always change based on teh new information , it may change more towards my opinion or away from it and maybe a inch or a mile but seeing how i don't consider something a argument that unless it supports a valid statement alot of arguments are cast off .

[thedreamwatch]

Honestly, I'm more likely to be swayed by an argument with someone I know or even someone I don't know who I'm hearing in person. Arguments on the internet are mostly garbage. People are often disrespectful and you could have any yahoo telling you anything he or she believes. It's unlikely that I would lift my skepticism up high enough that any anonymous person I find on the internet would be able to get through to me very well. It would have to be from a source I trusted implicitly or an exrtremely compelling argument that's obviously well backed up by sources I can see and find out about for myself.

[maverick]

Vegans. Vegans changed my mind. (Specifically, the documentary Earthlings. Google it and prepare to be appalled.)

Don't get me wrong, I still eat meat. But I now accept that there is no morally justifiable reason for me to do so other than my own hedonistic pleasure, and it does make me feel uber-guilty because I am aware of the problem and am currently not doing jack-shit about it.

I've listened to every vegetarian/vegan argument under the sun (as well as doing extensive research into factory farms and whatnot) and I've concluded that vegans are right, and I am wrong, and pigs have the mental faculties of a human three year-old, but bacon is tasty.

It is a conundrum.

Hopefully at some point in the future the accumulative guilt will get me off meat for good, because in theory I agree with the leaf-eaters. I was vegetarian/mostly vegan for almost two years, I just found it a difficult diet to maintain once I moved back in with other carnivores.

I need to get back off the meat wagon though, 'cause I feel like a hypocrite about it.

[IsItSo]

Arguments in real life can do that for me. The internet, not so much.

[fiddledeedee]

I find that provided the argument is respectful it will not change my mind, but it will help me empathise with/understand the other side because there are real people behind it. It can also help me consider things I haven't thought of before. I perfer to not say much and just watch, though.

[Raeil]

Only one internet argument has ever made me change my mind at all, and that's because I had false information in my argument, which someone gently corrected for me. I was arguing Creationism vs. Evolution (for the Creationist side, thanks to my parents) and mentioned that out of all the problems with Evo, the one biggest flaw is that information (in the form of gene pairs) is not added to an organism during mutations. I got two Youtube videos, one explaining the different types of mutations (which included one I said didn't exist) and one of a Biology professor doing the same thing. I thanked them for the correction, and changed my mind on that portion of the issue.

Sadly, it would be another 4 or 5 years before I would educate myself about the false information I had been fed and stop arguing in favor of Creationism.

[ezkill]

In forums, chat rooms, or any other internet-enabled medium of communication, people tend to represent themselves differently than who they actually are. The element of brave-at-a-distance comes into play, as well as many attempts to establish, savor, and keep a sense of pride and dignity (i.e. "reputation"). Basically, the same thing we tend to do in our daily social interactions, but taken to a bit of the extreme due to the element of anonymity introduced by the web.

With that being said, I cannot personally recall my viewpoint on a major issue changing by virtue of an argument made on the internet. I have had my viewpoint changed on minor or insignificant issues, but never anything ground-breaking or revolutionary.

Also, I believe that people can, and have in the past, changed paradigms based on online arguments. However, the point I would like to contest is whether or not they actually show it. Like I mentioned earlier, people communicating with each other (anonymously) over the internet often feel like they have an image and reputation to preserve. With pride, dignity, and support potentially at stake, you will definitely be hard-pressed to find any admission of wrong-doing or being incorrect.

[Bowie]

We should have an argument over this and verify empirically.

[Chip]

I've definitely seen my viewpoints and positions evolve and change as a result of meaningful dialogue, both in person and on the web.

If someone presents pieces of information, or even viewpoints that I hadn't considered, that can easily influence how I feel about something, and in most cases, I have little if any attachment to any particular viewpoint I hold if there's convincing evidence or other information that warrants changing my stand or opinion.

[Meropspusillus]

Not changed really, but I've definitely ended up more enlightened I feel. Altered I guess. That's the answer.

[Emberstone]

I have got people to switch sides, but that is only because sometimes, fact free from bias is just too hard to ignore, so when you aruging something that can be tested and proven beyond doubt, people tend to realize fighting it further only shows how much of a idiot they are.

but since most arguements on the internet are ideological, bias is the whole point.

[Mad Man L]

I can credit the internet and its people for "turning" me into an atheist, but really people on the internet and religious arguments (watching them, I never really participated) were just the triggers for making me think about religion.

But generally, my view doesn't change. Occasionally it will make me change on a minor point. But generally, the more heated the argument, the less likely I am to change my view.

I'd like to think that I speak for myself in both online and offline arguments. Whether my view supports one side or another is irrelevant for me, I stay on one side and that is my own. I don't need to forge alliances with others to support my views. Sure there are times when people can change my view with valid points, but I still remain my own person.

I find that online arguments almost always end up with the 'cool kid' being supported whether right or not and having the other person just slaughtered with complete rubbish which has nothing to do with the argument. That is the internet today as we see it.

[Hitchhiker]

I've only had one internet argument that the other person switched sides. It was about transpeople, and they were just being very ignorant so I basically educated them. afterwards they were like WOAH I can't believe I was such a dick about this! And apologized. LOL
I like arguing, though... so I do it a lot. I don't really know why, since it's basically fruitless, but I just feel that if I let something slip by and I don't say my piece it's as if I'm accepting their opinion, y'know?

[Hazel]

I rarely find myself in intelligent Internet arguments, so I can't say anyone's been able to change my mind.