Have you ever actually been persuaded/persuaded someone else in an argument?

[Beet]

Yes, it's a foible of mine too; getting involved debating strangers on the Internetz, at the cost of better things. Still, the time isn't necessarily entirely wasted. The point of such debates is not to get the other person to change their mind but rather to influence other people who may be watching/reading, and may not feel as strongly. It can also help you organize your thoughts so that you'll be more articulate next time. To answer your question: yes. O/c, it's usually not in hot button issues like 'gay marriage', 'abortion', etc. but narrower or more esoteric subjects.