Links? Really?

[bwana]

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS A STRONG PERSONAL OPINION...

Write your own words, your opinions, your answers for crying out loud. Who is here to get links? We've all got google too.

A link to a website as the answer to an argument or an example of the truth is like quoting Harry Potter as a source on your term paper. If you are not smart enough to write an articulate opinion or answer a direct question you are likely here for the wrong reasons and hardly deserve to be considered very credible. Use them as references by all means, please add them for additional reading as a courtesy but using them instead of your own words is shameful. Shameful.

Links? Really?

Are you the people who call into the radio station to say you're undecided?

Forum
–noun, plural fo·rums, fo·ra /ˈfɔrə, ˈfoʊrə/
1. the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
2. a court or tribunal: the forum of public opinion.
3. an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.
4. the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.
(resource: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/forum

One can find a link that "proves" anything they like on the internet. Elvis is alive and voting for Obama, did you hear?

Link: http://www.topix.com/who/elvis-presley/2008/09/elvis-presley-endorses-obama-gop-outraged

Am I wrong here? I absolutely welcome any feedback on this.

Discuss....

bwana

 

[Pandora]

When I have ever posted something I heard on the news or the radio and wanted to talk about it, I was slammed with people saying post a link. I think we have become conditioned to post a link to support our opinion about something. Its usually political things people said or did, but that is mostly what we talk about here.

I would be happy to just talk about things and if someone did not believe what I said I heard or saw then they can look it up. But mostly before I ever post anymore I get my link ready because I know I will be asked for it.

hope that is helpful as to why there are so many links around

 

[9sublime]

If you've got an opinion, then you don't need to post links. As soon as you are called upon to justify your position, you generally have to bring in facts and past events. To validate your claims, it is good to provide a link to substantiate your position.

 

[TruthAboveAll]

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS A STRONG PERSONAL OPINION...

Write your own words, your opinions, your answers for crying out loud. Who is here to get links? We've all got google too.

A link to a website as the answer to an argument or an example of the truth is like quoting Harry Potter as a source on your term paper. If you are not smart enough to write an articulate opinion or answer a direct question you are likely here for the wrong reasons and hardly deserve to be considered very credible. Use them as references by all means, please add them for additional reading as a courtesy but using them instead of your own words is shameful. Shameful.

Links? Really?

I agree with the spirit of what you're saying. There are those who overload with links in these debates, it's almost like a form of shouting. When someone is in a weak or indefensible position, shouting is sometimes the tactic used to mask that fact. Links can serve the same purpose.

Are you the people who call into the radio station to say you're undecided?

Forum
–noun, plural fo·rums, fo·ra /ˈfɔrə, ˈfoʊrə/
1. the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
2. a court or tribunal: the forum of public opinion.
3. an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.
4. the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.
(resource: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/forum

Since you included the link immediately preceding yourself, I'm guessing that you are differentiating the use of links to illustrate the source of information used as opposed to totally give voice for the forum member's opinion.

One can find a link that "proves" anything they like on the internet. Elvis is alive and voting for Obama, did you hear?

Link: http://www.topix.com/who/elvis-presley/2008/09/elvis-presley-endorses-obama-gop-outraged

Am I wrong here? I absolutely welcome any feedback on this.

Discuss....

True, you can find something to support nearly anything you want. LOL @ your example. I think a lot of people around here get so tired of the few who abuse the add link function, they just stop listening to them at all. I know that I've most of them on my ignore list, and more to add... If they can't participate in intelligent, civil debate and discussion, I've no desire to waste my time on them.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS A STRONG PERSONAL OPINION...

Write your own words, your opinions, your answers for crying out loud. Who is here to get links? We've all got google too.

A link to a website as the answer to an argument or an example of the truth is like quoting Harry Potter as a source on your term paper. If you are not smart enough to write an articulate opinion or answer a direct question you are likely here for the wrong reasons and hardly deserve to be considered very credible. Use them as references by all means, please add them for additional reading as a courtesy but using them instead of your own words is shameful. Shameful.

Links? Really?

Are you the people who call into the radio station to say you're undecided?

Forum
–noun, plural fo·rums, fo·ra /ˈfɔrə, ˈfoʊrə/
1. the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
2. a court or tribunal: the forum of public opinion.
3. an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.
4. the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.
(resource: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/forum

One can find a link that "proves" anything they like on the internet. Elvis is alive and voting for Obama, did you hear?

Link: http://www.topix.com/who/elvis-presley/2008/09/elvis-presley-endorses-obama-gop-outraged

Am I wrong here? I absolutely welcome any feedback on this.

Discuss....

bwana

Gee.....your modesty must overwhelm you, yourself.

 

[Andy]

I think a lot of people around here get so tired of the few who abuse the add link function, they just stop listening to them at all. I know that I've most of them on my ignore list, and more to add... If they can't participate in intelligent, civil debate and discussion, I've no desire to waste my time on them.

Oh yeah. I know of at least one who never says anything of value, rarely has a reference worth reading, and is typically on the level of flame bait.

Gee.....your modesty must overwhelm you, yourself.

Hi Shaman!

Write your own words, your opinions, your answers for crying out loud. Who is here to get links? We've all got google too.

A link to a website as the answer to an argument or an example of the truth is like quoting Harry Potter as a source on your term paper. If you are not smart enough to write an articulate opinion or answer a direct question you are likely here for the wrong reasons and hardly deserve to be considered very credible. Use them as references by all means, please add them for additional reading as a courtesy but using them instead of your own words is shameful. Shameful.

One can find a link that "proves" anything they like on the internet. Elvis is alive and voting for Obama, did you hear?

Link: http://www.topix.com/who/elvis-presley/2008/09/elvis-presley-endorses-obama-gop-outraged

Am I wrong here? I absolutely welcome any feedback on this.

I do agree that there are some people who use a link or web site somewhere as a substitute for rational thought. I've often been amused to find that a linked article, or regurgitation of someone else's opinion piece, had absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.

But links do serve a purpose. I can tell you that socialism never work, I can detail how it doesn't work, I can state that I've seen how it does not work. But all of this is my word against yours, until I can show an article that backs my claims.

Now, like you've shown here, there is a web site for everything, and certainly simply having a link does not indicate provable truth. For example, there was a thread here on how the Republicans voted against Mother's Day.

The story was posted in the Wall Street Journal, but then when you actually did some investigation, (not long for me), I found that the whole thing was a fraud. The story was wrong, and so was everyone saying it.

So you should check the link sometimes, and figure things out for yourself, even if the leaders of honest reporting like Salon.com are making a convincing case.

But beyond that, you can use significant evidence to build a case for whatever view you choose to support.

If we were to eliminate linking supporting evidence, then all threads would end up being:
"You're wrong"
"No you are!"
"No your stupid and wrong!"
"Idiot, you're wrong!"

I doubt many would come here and chat if everything was completely hearsay.