Thoughts: Academic Debate or Horrible Ranting?

Prime example of a ranting cretin.

So, I have a friend/colleague who was discussing about a certain topic that is supposedly affecting the world today, or at least they think so. The issue came about from an article and chapter in a book for a class that we are both in (and just as a side note, the professor is a pompous, sexist bastard, but I’m not hateful towards him at all), that states that the issue at hand is biological, not social. It is actually social and another topic not mentioned is biological.

They post this little disagreement on Facebook as a status update a lot of people (women, mind you) agreed with them about it. One even said “Show him how wrong he is with your academic background and skill.” A part of me laughed while the other half of me pondered over the suggestion.

Is a paper, essay or whatever could form some structure of 3-4 paragraphs a rant based on emotional and biased points or is an academic issue or debate?

I ask this question based on the ideas that I have always been taught from writing papers. Now, it is known that papers are arguments or discussions over a specific topic, and most topics always have two sides. But, considering my field, most of that comes from the ideas and viewpoints of another person. Actually, most topics, theories, or ideas start with opinions from a person and usually people can either agree and support the idea or disagree and argue it with disdain. Unless it is science, then that’s another story.

That is the structure, in my opinion, of academic debates. A certain theory or idea is argued over with research from other people’s opinions. However, the negative side effect of that is if the theory ever actually gets accepted as a fact, or if there is a need to solve and correct this problem. Instead, the issue of emotional and personal ranting forms, where someone takes offense to one part of that topic and goes on a rampage on how wrong it is, how horrible it is, and why is it even being discussed to begin with, such as my friend.

Without realizing it, they suddenly lose sight of the point overall: The whole point of the article was to start an academic debate, not make someone take offense and whine towards it, but to get the viewpoints and opinions of people. Maybe, in time from those viewpoints, they can form a reasonable agreement and solution to the issue.

But at the same time, I found myself wondering: Am I ranting about this or am I creating a debate of my own?

Then, I logged off Facebook and went to go get a snack. I guess the real issue is: Does anyone really care?

But that’s a topic for another day.

(The Ranting Swede is courtesy of Cartoon Network from the show that was so awesome, yet no one really remembers: “Sheep in the Big City”)