I have always found these threads very helpful - and was just thinking over why that is so. Why should we discuss.

1. I've learned that I don't think well on my own. I need to make points with people because in doing so, I realize how flimsy some of those points are, and maybe I'd better think some more.

2. There is what we say, and what other people hear us say - and the two can be quite different. We have to learn to take that into consideration when we make our points.