The Art of Winning Arguments – Amana F
You are arguing and you know you’re wrong. There’s only a handful of things you can do at this point to successfully end it. Slyly switching sides and trying to ease the tension by saying “I’m agreeing with you, why are we arguing?” is a popular choice. You could give up and say, “You believe what you want to believe” and leave it at that. You could just burst into hysterical laughter and walk away (this one actually works). However, what if I told you there’s a way to win the argument, despite your point being wrong?
Sophistry: The practice of using clever arguments that sound convincing but are in fact false. ‘Gaslighting’, if you will.
When arguing, we tend to get passionate about what we’re saying, leading to the use of emotional language. Both the words ‘firm’ and ‘pig-headed’ mean the same thing: easily influenced, or obstinate. The adjective ‘firm’ means that not being easily influenced is a good thing, whereas ‘pig-headed’ means quite the opposite. Let’s put this into context:
When our minds are experiencing conflict, our brains are flooded with emotional attitudes. We then become more inclined to use emotional language (like ‘pig-headed’) rather than factual language (like ‘firm’). This is something you must avoid. Trick the other person into thinking you’re right, by getting your arguments straight rather than muddled; using emotional language can sound bias, rather than true. Immediately the person has more respect for you, as they reconsider their own thoughts due to your confidence in what you’re saying. Who cares if it’s accurate or not?
The Facial Feedback hypothesis, explored by Charles Darwin, states that your facial expression not only expresses emotion, but also directly affects your emotional experience. Remain calm when arguing. Don’t show you’re angry, fearful or confused, as these emotions make you an easier target to attack on a personal level. In a debate for instance, it would be unusual to see a speaker crying or shouting. Despite whether it’s a debate or a personal argument, never let your emotions fully unveil. The harder you are to analyze, the easier it is to have control.
Lastly, make your points sound reasonable. A sophist will make points so believable that the other person questions their own reasoning, despite them being correct. Now this will require a base level of general knowledge you can use to your advantage. For instance, we know, from science, that only about 5% of the universe has been discovered, but did you know that about 78% of the oceans have been explored? Comparing something true to something false, but making it believable, can give you the upper hand. Use this tip at your own risk, as your opponent may be smarter than you think. Or they may just be an expect sophist. Less than 10% of the ocean has been discovered if you were wondering.
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