It’s hard to say, at my age, but I suppose the “gift” that would truly make me happy would be a moderated online discussion forum where people actually understand what “debate” entails — that it involves connecting what you say to reality, offering verifiable cites, responding directly to the other person, refraining from namecalling or insults, etc.
Many years ago, I was on the Compuserve Political Debate forum. I even helped to moderate it. The rules on that forum, which were strictly, fairly, and transparently enforced, were simple. No namecalling. No personal insults. Beginning a sentence with “you are…” was discouraged. No “you are a racist,” or “you are a communist,” unless the person actually avowed themselves as these things. “What you say is racist,” or “What you say sounds like communism,” was, however, permitted.
No addressing others with unwanted endearments or nicknames. No calling people “Rethuglicans” or “Dimmocrats.” No “Babes,” no “Honeys,” no “Sugars..” If someone named “Nicole” asked you stop calling her “Nicki,” repeating the offense would get the post removed. Do it again, and you’d be banned.
The result was one of the most well-run, intelligent online discussion forums I’ve experienced in four decades of discussing issues online.
I miss it.
Pam Troy 
3 responses to “All I want is Intelligent Discussion”
It’s sad that the Internet has degraded so much that it has a yearning for the good old days of Compuserve.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As someone who watched the Internet degrade from its beginnings in the early ’80s, I think much of it was the result of people who had a vested interest in short-circuiting in-depth political debate. The first political group to establish a beachhead online was the far right, and by this, I don’t mean Republicans or conservatives.
I mean radicals — white supremacists like Louis Beam. Add to this the social darwinist libertarianism of Silicon Valley and lots of people interested solely in making money, and you have a mass of smart people who know their agenda would not be palatable to voters who include nonChristians, Muslims, women, gays, lesbians, racial minorities, the poor, etc.
So, intelligent discussion was not desirable, and had to be stamped out wherever it occurred.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did the same a decade ago… lasted exactly a month and then I deleted the forum.
LikeLiked by 1 person