During online debate have you ever convinced the other party of your point of view? (feddit.uk)

submitted 14 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) by Denjin@feddit.uk to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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Discussing politics and other contentious sunjects online feels to me like it's counterproductive these days and even though I try not to get suckered in, I often can't help myself. Usually though I just end up feeling frustrated and sometimes angry at the other person either missing my points or refusing to accept them.

Thinking back to conversations I've had here and previously on Reddit, not only can I not remember an example of me "winning" the discussion and the other person changing their mind or conceding the point, I also cannot think of a time where my mind was changed either.

So have you ever begun a discussion online with someone with a different view point to yours and either you, or they, changed the others mind?

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[-] gigastasio@sh.itjust.works 4 points 12 hours ago

Closest I’ve come was being in a discussion thread infested with antivaxxers. This was at the height of Covid and right around the time the first vaccines were being given. I had just gotten mine a few weeks prior.

I picked one guy more or less at random and all I did was reiterate my experience getting the vaccine and that I had no regrets doing so. I made it a point not to belittle his point of view and only suggested that maybe at some point in the future he be open to seeing things differently. And then we parted ways, he with what seemed like some increased level of respect for my point of view, and me with still absolutely no respect for his.

this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2026

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