[mgallivan]

We should shut down other people who are being needlessly facetious.

But to suggest that rejection should be our default behavior is absurd. Discussion should be encouraged because, more often than not, neither side is 100% correct. The way we further ourselves is by talking to those people with dissimilar views.

[seiji]

more often than not, neither side is 100% correct.

You are very right. The problem is when one side stands up and says: "We are obviously right. We will never change our opinions or ideas. You must agree with us or die."

At that point, the reasonable side doesn't have any options left. You can't argue with crazy.

Take the current US Congress situation. One side is saying, "We want to hurt you." The other side isn't saying "Okay, how much do you want to hurt me? Let's find a compromise where you can just cut off my hand." No. The only way to stop American elected terrorists is to tell them "No."

If people have valid points, you can draw out truth. If they have points based on pride, ego, or falsely implanted childhood memories, you can't do anything productive except stop them. If that doesn't work, ignore them.

Topics of note which regularly draw out crazy people from one side: nobody needs college, X city is better for startups, religion Y is right, bitcoin is a "currency," (or anything else getting 400+ comments around here).