I'm aware that those who disagree with me can try and make this same argument against me, but the fact is I'm always willing to try and back up what I say, and if I did encounter a 'reset' point I'd analyse why and have the courage to re-evaluate my position.
Funnily enough, I think my debates on OLO have made me a little less left-wing and brought me closer to the centre, though I suppose considering onesself a centrist is a common conceit - my moniker was chosen as a way of saying I think the fringe of either political spectra is folly.

So why do I do this? Well, obviously I find it interesting, which comes back to the reason why most people here do it. But I also find it improves my own reasoning skills, plus I genuinely believe that if we can find ways to make the most extreme among us re-evaluate their positions, well, that's something worth discovering, even if it is, by-and-large, an impossible pursuit.

Ludwink.....

how important is OLO ?

hmm interesting question.

I'd say that until it has the possibility of video, it will remain a bit of an ideological backwater.

Consider this. On Youtube (and its clones) you can make a video that portrays your ideas in visual as well as print media. You can add in many effects which add to the impact of the message.

Here is an example of a young girl who used a video to address some racism.. it has had 340,000+ views.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivkw27k9J0c&feature=user

Just do the math and consider how many 'views' or 'reads' your (or my) posts get from here?

Ludwig

My intentions are to enhance, refine thinking both mine and that of others not intentionally to push a personal Wheelbarrow or convert anyone. It is enough to raise expanded perspectives ( nothing is as simple as many would think have us believe) or unknown/ignored facts.

I do little patience for hidden agendas, extreme bias and or personal attacks/ridicule. As there are better means of expressing an opinion.

OLO IS important! Simply put that while conversations remain dialectic (as opposed to didactic) on this or other sites then I am confident to say that there IS hope for Humanity.(AS IMPORTANT AS THAT)

Usual Suspect,

Kevin of Double Bay is a troll, but he is a very good one and very funny. I think that's why news.com.au publish his comments. I think he has a few other characters too like Charles Godworth of Vaucluse, and he has also attracted some copycats. (But none of those are as good as Kevin).

On this site Gibo gives me a good laugh. Unlike Kevin of Double Bay, Gibo is serious about what he has to say. He's gone quiet lately. I think he's having a good sulk at having his posts deleted where he was attacking me.

Like many, I'm addicted to this site. Things are quiet at work at the moment so I have more time on my hands. When business picks up, I won't be seen too often here.

I first started looking at OLO when a family member was reading and writing for it (using a nom-de-plume). I was quite impressed with the general standard of articles and the majority of posts.

Now three or four years on I decided to have a go myself. My eyes may be deceiving me, but I reckon the standard has dropped noticeably. Only one or two articles each day are worth reading, and many are abysmally weak. Sometimes I wonder whether the editor is a tutor in an undergraduate course and is using her student's essays as an easy way to plump up the volume. Quite frankly, some OLO articles wouldn't get a run anywhere else.

It's in OLO's interests to go for volume rather than quality. Remember it makes money from selling advertising.

I'll still keep looking at OLO every morning but it's going to be more and more important to be discerning about what to buy into. There are better things to do with my life.

R0bert, yes I remember that article by Graham.

It is interesting that there seem to be many more readers than contributors. I find that hard to imagine, as I just couldn’t be a regular reader of something like OLO without being contributor.

However, I have a friend who has been an avid (obsessive?) reader of OLO for years but refuses to contribute, despite my strong urgings that he put his opinions out there instead of earbashing only me with them all the time!

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Yes Foxy, it is addictive isn’t it. Strange thing that (:>|

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I find that OLO really does sharpen your written communication skills, especially your ability to communicate with those that appear to have silly views or nasty dispositions. I was a bit ragged with that sort of stuff early on. I’d like to think that I’m a lot better at it now.