Fight club. A Think Tank forum suggestion.

[Nequilius]

I suggest the think tank gets a new forum. Fight Club.

Fight Club is all about verbal duels. Duels work pretty easily. One member may call out another member to debate a certain issue on which the sides have opposite views. If other member agrees, the initiator formulates a thesis and states his position, to which the opponent replies and so on.

The rules of Fight Club are:

1. You do talk at fight club.
2. You DO TALK AT FIGHT CLUB.
3. A member of the forum may call out another member on a duel ONLY on the basis of what the called out member said. (The called out member may decline the duel, of course)
4. Only the participants and moderators (ONLY if things get out of hand) may post in the thread.
5. Both participants have the right to demand that a post size would not exceed a certain limit. - this is a way of keeping things on topic and less time-consuming. However, if both participants don't mind - there may be no limit on a post.
6. NO arguments in the line of "read this link" or "go read wiki". You must present your argument yourself. You may, however, include a link as a confirmation.
7. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE PARTICIPANTS MAKE IT PERSONAL. (e.g. start insulting each other)
8. There will be 2 types of duels. Endless and Competative.
a) Endless duels go on AS LONG AS THEY HAVE TO. The first participant to forfeit loses.
b) Competitve duels will have a certain limit of posts each side can make (the limit is mutually agreed upon by the participants) by the end of the limit a committee of judges (I'm thinking mods, but open for discussion) will decide based on how well each participant debated (Valid arguments, presentation, retorting etc) who wins the debate.

[shadowbuild]

that is what the brain stew part of the think tank is there for to discuss and debate certain issues I am not comfortable with a thread where you are fingering a certain member to get into a heated debate with, it is my opinion that this will lead to a lot of arguments and flaming in the forum so would have to pass on this suggestion

[TankGirl]

Hate to say this but isn't that what the Brain Stew is for? I appreciate that the subject matter is open to everyone and everyone gets to put forward their opinion but, it usually comes down to two or three people duking it out over a particular topic and as the rules in the brain stew state - you have to support your opinion with an explanation.

I really don't see a need for a separate forum for people to go and have a "pop" at each other, I personally think it would just encourage people to get personal and start belittling other members, no matter how much you state that it is not to happen. We have enough problems in certain topics in the Brain Stew with that type of behaviour. The other thing to think about is there is no such thing as a winner in a debate, its personal opinions, if you set a panel to decide who wins what debate based on how well they present their argument I can see it ending in tears - disgruntled members etc.

In conclusion - nice idea, but I'm afraid it's a no from me. There is just too much that could potentially go wrong - generally regarding members feelings, plus there is the extra work load on the existing mods to think of and I think that the Brain Stew already caters for what you are suggesting.

[Nequilius]

The brain stew is, basicly, all users expressing there opinion on certain topics and sometimes answering each other. It's chaotic.

The goal of Fight Club is to inject order into the debate. To set certain rules for debates and allow 2 people with opposite points of view settle their argument with no intervention (endless duel), or to compete to see who the best debater is (competative duel). And, as I've noted in my first post, the member who is called out can decline the debate.

[TankGirl]

You can't control or organise a debate, that's the whole point of a debate. You cant organise so people take turns it stops the flow and it becomes unnatural, besides the more people involved in the "debate" the more valid opinions you get, the more points of view you have and therefore you "should" in theory end up with a fairly healthy discussion happening - I don't see that happening with two people, it would just go round in circles, the same points being made every time - where's the debate in that?

[Nequilius]

You can't control or organise a debate, that's the whole point of a debate.

Sure you can. All official debates are organised.

You cant organise so people take turns it stops the flow and it becomes unnatural,

We're debating right now, taking turns, you give an argument - I retort. Everything looks natural to me.

besides the more people involved in the "debate" the more valid opinions you get, the more points of view you have and therefore you "should" in theory end up with a fairly healthy discussion happening

The ultimate goal of Fight Club isn't to reach an agreement. These will not be discussions - they will be polemics.

I don't see that happening with two people, it would just go round in circles, the same points being made every time - where's the debate in that?

Argument > Counter argument > counter counter argument > counter counter counter argument. Just like what you and I are doing right now.

[TankGirl]

As I have said before and so has Shadowbuild, all I see this doing is inciting arguments between members, which will result in bad feelings. I see no reason to have a separate forum to discuss things that are already being discussed in the Brain Stew, I also see no point in adding to the workload of the Think Tank mods. Sorry but it's still a no from me.

[JustJenna]

I think its a great idea and will incite a lot of fun discussion. I'm gonna say yes. We also may very well incorporate this idea into our other new forum, thebigdebate.net

SB and TG, I understand your concerns, but if it doesn't work out, or gets out of hand, we can always shut it down. But I think the idea sounds like a blast.

Approved.