Nameless Debates II
Where your ideas matter, not your name or the size of your p…ersonality
Are you looking for challenge?
Are you looking to grow?
Are you looking to prove yourself?
If you have good ideas and interesting opinions, and wish to test your mettle against our finest, then ND is definitely the space for you.
On the internet, there is no shortage of communities for which the central conceptual theme is the free exchange of ideas and opinions, but few spaces manage to truly embody the ideal. The vast majority of them are plagued by trolling, immature behaviour and contrarian foolishness, and in those rare instances when you manage to find a moment of peace from these pests, you end up engaging in a debate which ends with both participants feeling frustrated by the conduct of the other. Even the better spaces available fail to achieve an effective balance between social harmony and intellectual rigour, and ego-driven personalities often obstruct progress with melodramatic and performative antics.
Nameless Debates is a discord community which is oriented around the idea of dialectics and a search for what is true through discussions and debates with those with whom we disagree. It is a playground for ideas and a garden of Eden perfect for the flower which is the potentiation of the intellect. Our community offers participants a chance to hone their minds and sharpen their tongues, and our ranking system is designed with the facilitation of this goal in mind; thus, despite its superficial façade of competition, it is in fact geared towards co-operation at its core. One of the principal reasons which makes ND stand out among the rest is the unique vision which the owner has for the space, a vision which has at its core the ethic of the dialogue*.
This vision of the community is what is directly responsible for the exemplary culture which exists within ND, a culture which ensures that the vast majority of conversations that occur within the bounds of the space are at least productive, if not always completely polite. The conduct of the regular members of the server sets a noble precedent for the normal tone of engagements, and this serves to create the culture to which new members have to adjust themselves. Thus, if the server tends to select for members who engage seriously and sincerely during their discussions of alternative perspectives, the atmosphere of the space becomes uniquely conducive to the honest exploration of the issues and an earnest effort to resolve the problems which present themselves during analysis.
ND has an attractive aesthetic and a wide variety of channels while managing to avoid a feeling of channel bloat, and those channels are intelligently disambiguated so as to optimally facilitate productive discourse. We have three general/main channels, two of which are gated according to rank — the most prestigious channel requires at least a rank of platinum in order for a member to be able to type comments/posts there, while the middle channel only requires a rank of silver. We also have an unrestricted general channel where everyone can participate, as well as a channel specific to serious discussion, a channel for sources, and a couple of channels for memes.
The ranks on the server are based on the ranks in League of Legends, beginning with the rank of Wood and progressing up through bronze -> silver -> gold -> platinum -> diamond -> master -> grandmaster. Ranks are based on evaluations of debate competency, and all changes in ranking must pass through a democratic process once the rank is above a certain minimum threshold (silver). For those who impress our core membership, there are numerous opportunities for advancement within the space — opportunities which are not limited to rank. There may even be special pathways made available for individuals who have unique gifts and wish to give back to the community.
ND has a very friendly community, a dedicated team of staff and a pair of reasonable and intelligent owners, all of whom work together to make ND an interesting and challenging space to participate in. We have a transparent moderation process with built in checks and balances including both the hierarchy of staff, who get a direct say in how the space is managed, as well as the server council, where regular members are able to give their say and influence, albeit indirectly, what direction the server moves in. Despite being friendly, ND does not take part in the widespread online phenomenon of civility politics, wherein being rude in any context is regarded as antisocial and thereby discouraged — this is a brand of political correctness which we cannot abide by, as it stifles authentic and honest self-expression.
All in all, ND is the best of the best when it comes to online debate spaces, and I think I would be right to say that most of its members agree wholeheartedly — that’s why they keep coming back week after week, after all. If you’ve been feeling bored lately, and you want to find a new place to explore and engage with novel and interesting people, then ND is definitely for you. It is a large community filled with competent people, but it is nonetheless welcoming to newcomers of all skill levels, whether you have a PhD or never even finished high school — as long as you make a genuine attempt to defend the positions and opinions you put forward, you will be valued within our community, regardless of how favourably we regard your ideas or your character. Come see!
If what you’ve read resonated with you, come check out the server, and join us in broadening our minds; you might even be featured in one of our Youtube videos — if you’ve got what it takes…
If you liked what you read, and wanted to read a little more, you can check out the longer version of this article here.
Have a great day :)
