I find it useful to debate and discuss interesting and/or controversial ideas, not because I care to convince people I'm right but because I'm open to being convinced by them that I'm wrong. By taking a stand on an issue or playing devil's advocate with an idea, I develop a much deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of that perspective.
I think debate and discussion is an extremely useful tool for personal growth. There have been many occasions where a debate with another person led me to reconsider my own perspective. I wish I had the time to do it more often.
Personally I love it when people disagree with me and are willing to intelligently share why they believe what they do, especially if their beliefs seem to be helping them generate positive results in some area. If I suspect that another person's beliefs are more empowering than mine, I become really curious as to what the differences are.
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