> How many argue with an acknowledgement of the possibility that the other
> person might in fact be right and oneself wrong?
>
I'm not sure that's necessary, but how many here argue keeping in mind that their audience is bigger than the person they're replying to? LBO-Talk membership is larger than the group that regularly posts here. Google et al makes it still larger.
I'd just use the litmus test of a physical auditorium. How much of this argumentation over the last few days has the verve to keep an audience in their seats? After the first couple salvos, I'd be heading for the door looking for something better to do.
To put it another way, on the Internet nobody knows they don't have an audience. Of course here, you're always guaranteed of an audience of one: Doug. Maybe that's the attraction for some...
Best, Charles