How easily are you sucked into a fruitless or even destructive argument?

It's immature to force your beliefs/points on other people, making it a fruitless/destructive argument, but it's perfectly fine to have an intellectual debate ABOUT beliefs...problem being this almost never happens in Real Life.

I think I've given up on ever having an intellectual debate actually.

Oh, I do not mind at all because I know full well how fragile the human psyche is. Those who argue open themselves up to a rational response that cannot be ignored. All it takes is one little frayed end to unravel the whole ball, which is why I am very careful in what I say.

However, I will place words in a space that can be dangerous to a vindictive or cruel mind. To make fun of or criticize how another person chooses to organize their mind on this path through life opens a person up to the hell of losing their identity. This is because so many small pools think they are the ocean. When they mix it up, they find themselves lost.

I spent 2 1/2 years processing through a complete destruction of my identity through a process listed in the literature as enlightenment. It is a highly mystical process that has an objective definition and objectively observable results. It was terrifying beyond description and I almost died on more than one occasion.

As an engineer with 15 years experience and a being a PhD student in transpersonal psychology; I used my hard sciences background, philosophical knowledge, psychological experience, and development of new theory, to objectively navigate this psychological event while never losing my objective orientation with the world. My internal experience is one of nothing, no self, no identity, no nothing; yet there is something in nothing and we all know it is there within us.

I know what is required to take down the human mind and it is far less than anyone would think. It does not matter whether you are spiritual or not; those who attack, are condesending, or degrading in their actions toward others are more at risk. Because I did not allow any conflict with objective science, I can discuss this event with anyone. I have kept quiet for over two years so when I started speaking, I would not cause harm to other people.

It may be fruitless to some but we must remember first to follow God's lead in all things. He has his purpose in telling us to go on. We should know when to quit. The answers we give does not just reach the questioner but others as well and remember that God's Word never comes back empty. Never. Jesus even told His disciples not to stop ones from preaching the Word just because it didn't meet their expectations. God Bless. :)

What makes an argument fruitless?

Just letting people know what the other side is of SOME use.

I agree, it falls on deaf ears mostly if the asker is just trying to bait someone and ridicule the answerer.

I am just going to make two points in my answer to you.

i enjoy the fights because i don't give a rat's patootie about what is said anonymously on the internet

fun is!

not many times,i know ways in saying things that sound awesome! and its what i want,i believe anything is possible,but its not me me me.

its for good,so,it benefits me but many others too.

Oft times, too often.

Everytime I answer an atheist's question ;)