Rogue, I agree wholeheartedly that constant debating gets incredibly tiresome, especially with those who get their rocks off by delivering inflammatory rhetoric in an open forum. For me, I try to always remember what my high school debate team instructor preached, lo those many years ago.
There are only 3 types of people in the world, she said: those who firmly believe one thing, those who just as firmly believe the exact opposite, and those who occupy the space in between. All debate, she insisted, should be delivered with that last group in mind as your audience - they're the only ones whose opinion you can really impact.
Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken will change one another's minds when hell freezes over. Revising the opinion of an entrenched opponent should never be your goal - it's a an exercise in futility and leads to the frustration you refer to. Regardless of how nasty an opponent may get, keep your eye on the ball and avoid stooping to their level. A little lightheartedness and humor in a fiery debate can go a long way toward defusing the tension (for that audience I mentioned), and earn you hero points besides. It's the (usually) non-participating audience that you'll strike a chord in and who will remember your well-constructed, thoughtful and civil remarks. You may not see the results as often in a digital forum, but they really are there.
