Starting a thread in Politics & Debate

[Jim V]

Hi all,

This is just a quick guide to starting a thread here. You don't have to follow it, but sometimes people may feel concerned about how to bring up a debate. So this is a suggestion for how you might want to start a thread so that you'll be able to get the ball rolling on whatever's on your mind.

1. Debate pretty much covers everything

There's a huge variety of issues that can be covered by the idea of debate, not just things some people assume to be 'politics'. If what you want to talk about is something that matters to you and something you'd like other people to discuss as well, then it's worth making a thread about it.

2. Introduce what you'd like to talk about

Always good to start with an overview of what you'd like to talk about. Doesn't have to be an essay, often the thread title itself will almost cover the issues, but a few lines can help get across exactly what's on your mind.

3. Links help

Often it's a news story that starts people of thinking about a particular issue. If that's the case with what you want to talk about then include a link so people can get up to speed with you pretty quickly.

4. Your own opinion matters

As with any of the other sections here on TheSite.org - your own opinion on a subject makes a huge difference to the way people read threads. It helps frame a debate and it helps other people to understand why a thread has been started. So when starting a thread it's worth just saying a little bit about how you feel as well. Don't worry about having to say too much - they'll be plenty of time to expand on ideas later on.

5. Not everyone will agree with you

Hands down, there ain't a thing in the world everyone agrees with. Bear in mind that the point of starting a debate is to hear different views - so be prepared for others to disagree and show a different perspective. That's the good bit of the boards. Of course if it steps over into insults, as sometimes happens, let a moderator know through the report post button.

So hope that helps some of the people who've been asking how to start threads and remember the regulars may bark sometimes, but they rarely bite.

Have fun

(oh and don't forget the rules as well...)

[Jim V]

And if anyone wants to feedback on this thread feel free to use this confusingly titled oddity -

http://vbulletin.thesite.org/showthread.php?t=122222