Why do most people confuse arguing with debating?

[Anonymous]

Like most places online I see here online that no one is willing to be tolerant of others beliefs and are only interested in forcing the other side to see their point of view without listening to what the opposition has to offer. Then they wonder why and get mad when they are rightfully ignored and ridiculed for their beliefs. You can't expect people to love you and be tolerant of your ideals and beliefs when you are just stubbornly holding onto your prejudice and bigotry and refusing to listen. You can't make statements like love the sinner and hate the sin and expect everyone to just let you say whatever homophobic rant you want. You can't call all people of a certain race racist without understanding what racism is. Racism is prejudice plus power and yes even the definitions of words change, get used to it. You can't say you are for love and peace when you are wanting to criminalize abortion and then expect the same people you condemn for having an abortion to love you. Refusing to listen and trying to get your point across is not debating, it is forcing the point and don't expect the people you oppose to tolerate and listen to and expect them to show you respect when you won't give them the very thing you want.

[Effably]

These are a lot of absolutes for someone ultimately making the point to hear each other out. A little funny how that worked out.

You're certainly right that a lot of people confuse a benign exchange of opinions for hostility. If we can't allow our opinions to stand up to scrutiny without feeling attacked that in itself may be a warning sign.

I could play your devil's advocate and help you get rid of all these ultimatums you're posing. Some of your notions are harmful, such as your P P=R idea. An idea that we can historically ascertain has resulted in nothing useful and the only country in the world that considers it remotely accurate is also the one most affected by racism. The simple logic is that understanding and acceptance brings people together and combats racism. Setting up racial boundaries of right, wrong, fault and privilege is more likely to expand rather than bridge the gap between people.
This particular notion also has a 50 year test-run to help highlight how harmful it has been.

[najekim]

Because over the last few decades, people have been indoctrinated to the extremes and there is, unfortunately, no middle ground anymore. Educational institutes are partially to blame, along with the politicians, mass media, and religion.

Gone are the days of common sense, free thinking, tolerance, rational thought, and the right to choose what to believe or how to act.

We now have the extreme left and the extreme right. Which one is wrong? IMHO, they both are.