Yeah, there's plenty of topics I avoid discussing on the internet. I'm not here for an argument.

Yeah, and the worst is when people are talking about something I know a lot about, getting virtually every detail wrong, and I have to resist saying anything because I know my input will either be ignored, or worse, straight up unwelcome.
Luckily the blessing of being dumb as bricks is that that doesn't happen a lot, but I sure hate when it does.

Maybe try a more formal debate setting? I know there are some places like "the crucible" that facilitate that.

I doubt you will find anything on Lemmy unless you start up a highly moderated community. Even then, people can bring questions against the moderators.

Discussion and debate are pretty lawless in nature.

Yes, I do. Sometimes I disagree with something but I know my opinion will not be appreciated and I will be called names for just a different opinion. Often, it's not that I out those opinions in public but I just think them to myself but let other people be as they are. But that nuance will not come across online.

Several I never comment on or engage with, several I comment on and very few topics I engage with.

I certainly do. Every internet community is a bubble and I do not appreciate getting into fights with a brigade of people who hate me just for having an opinion that does not align with their dogma.

Yeah. On my personal pages I either unfollowed or deleted so many people so I don't have to deal with it. On places like lemmy it's not worth the energy.

Sometimes I can't help myself though. I was taught to stand up for myself and for other people as well so it's hard for me to sit back on certain conversations. Somehow this week I actually changed someone's mind (Not on lemmy). It's confusing when that happens lol

Yes there are topics I avoid.

I also weigh in on them, but not as often as I feel the urge.

My plan is to comment less, with higher quality.

Yeah, there are a few things I can't discuss. I was trying to discuss antisemitism with a group of Jewish people and that was clearly a discussion where there was no point even conversing. Merely asking for information was too much. It's a shame because I've learned a lot from various groups who have expanded my world view by sharing their understanding with me. But ultimately I think any area of discussion can end up being painful and pointless if the people you're conversing with have immovable beliefs - climate change, identity politics, socialism /capitalism are all possible tar-pits