I propose Facebook implement a ranking system for discussions on social, political, economic or spiritual issues. The purpose of the ranking system would be for people starting a thread to set the level of discussion ahead of time. That way people dont embarrass themselves by attempting to discuss a subject beyond their knowledge level. I recommend the following, loosely based on martial arts rank belts: White: Discussions about Kim Kardashian, and possibly sports. Yellow: Mishmash of opinions, a bully pulpit suitable for trolls and people too drunk to realize they arent discussing sports or Kim Kardashian. A great place for people who like to delete their comments after causing an argument, or post their rebuttals to people they have blocked. Blue: Liberals and Democrats only. Red: Conservatives and Republicans only. Purple: Independents, Libertarians, Green Party and Undecided. Green: No facts or genuine understanding of the subject needed. Post whatever the hell you want and no one will notice any inaccuracy or falsehood. Preferred level for Fox News or CNN fans. Brown: Passing knowledge of some facts is required, but willful ignorance of information sources outside a preferred range is acceptable. Dismissing the opinions of others through ad hominem attacks is permissible. Great for Rush Limbaugh fans. Black: Above average knowledge of the facts is required. Non sequiturs, logical fallacies and circular reasoning are permitted, but will undermine credibility. Rebuttal by labeling someone something such as Liberal, Progressive, Right Winger, Republican is permitted, but not considered a guarantor of a successful rebuttal. Good for people who actually read entire articles instead of basing their opinions on the headline. Jon Stewart is cited and understood. Gold: Solid knowledge of facts required. You will be dealing with people who have considerable knowledge or experience with the subject, sometimes experts in the field involved. Critical thinking required. Facts are checked, preferably with factcheck rather than snopes. Respect for the person is always shown even if one strongly disagrees with their opinion. Be willing to learn new things and even concede errors in thinking. Ad hominem attacks and rebuttals based on generalized or stereotypical labels will automatically destroy credibility of the person who does so. Best for people who understand that Rachel Maddow really is smarter than Bill OReilly or that National Review Online is an actual journalism site while RighWingNews or Conservativetribune are not. Rainbow: Discussions by LGBT people and supporters who would rather talk about fashion, food, science and The Modern Family than butt heads with people who watch Fox News or CNN.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:12:13 +0000
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