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How to Fail at Arguing #1

08 Jul

My ears perk up when I hear people fail at arguing.  It happens all the time by many people, though I notice it most from self-described left-wing “progressives.” I see this as being an ongoing series on this blog with examples as I see or hear them.

screen capture of facebook comments

How many times can he fail in one conversation?

Here’s a clip of a recent attempt at a conversation on Facebook. The article linked was the one I wrote about earlier about NASA’s new mission.

How to fail in argument as Tice did here:

  1. Simultaneously express agreement, skepticism, and disagreement about the same thing.
  2. Avoid talking about the issue at hand altogether.
  3. Call the other person names.
  4. Insult the source instead of the facts being reported, or the factworthiness of the report.
  5. And a bonus combo of the above: Agree with a source, then attack the source and say that anyone who agrees with them is stupid.

Yes, he just called himself stupid. Gold star. That’s how to fail at arguing, first edition.

Have you seen someone recently fail at arguing? Leave me a comment or drop a note.

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15 Comments

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  • haha I like the faux news channel 🙂 Also I have tried to subscribe twice and it keeps denying me access any hints? I’ve tried through google and fb…oh by the way at our house we have the whiner voice which only works in real life, but when we hear it we know the argument is over and whoever is not using the voice has won 🙂

    • Lori – have you tried subscribing through the link on the right-hand menu here: http://unhindered.com/blog/feed/ ? There’s something wrong with the log-in for the site, but that link works when I’m logged out too.

  • i was able to get logged in through this link thanks 🙂

  • I have never heard on foxnews 2+2=5 but if they said it I am willing to change my belief system to believe it 🙂 I think we should disregard what we observe and just believe what “they” tell us 🙂

    • Well, never questioning works for some people, it seems. They keep telling us to not question Gore about global warming, Obama about the economy (or anything really). Tomorrow morning’s blog post is actually related to this. Stay tuned!

  • Just because a person does not argue their position well does not mean their beliefs are wrong (Just try telling my daughter that Jesus is not alive). With that said- re: your posted article. I am starting to agree with Lori on the true path of Obama-

    • Exactly. There’s a few ways he could have argued this better.

      For example, instead of ranting and raving about how stupid everyone is who disagrees with him and the news outlet that reported the story, he could have responded to the issue at hand: NASA having to outreach to Muslim nations – He could have said:

      “It would hardly be a new thing for NASA to reach out for cooperation to other nations. Many countries have contributed in the past. If we can get Muslim nations engaged and working together on something, it may help both space technology and international relations. “

      And then the conversation could have continued.

      I agree that just because someone fails at arguing that doesn’t mean (s)he’s wrong on a given issue.On the flip side, just because someone seems to win an argument, that doesn’t mean their position is true.

      My point with this post isn’t that what he thinks is wrong (it is, but that wasn’t my point), is that he just failed at even trying to converse about it.

  • Jonathon- concur. Although this idea of Obama’s must be the zaniest he has come up with yet (although we have over two years left). “Obviously” the only thing standing between American/ Muslim relations is sharing an interest in space exploration. The only way America is going to get along with Muslim nations is to start to think like muslim nations- and God help us then.

  • But here I am… off topic.

  • It is hard to get along with people who want to convert you or kill you. We can continue to be the “bigger person” and extend kindnesses to Muslim nations, however what they need is Jesus and they think we need is be to dead, so I don’t think NASA will be solving any problems.

  • We must love Muslims- and I do think that many times we have a hard time seperating the individual from the collective. However, a 5 thousand year old problem is not going to be solved with this scheme. But Lori, I agree. They need Jesus, as does Obama.

    • @Samantha – I agree. The typical political solutions are 1) education of 2) money. If they just had more school, they would be different. Or if there was “economic equality” as Hillary Clinton is saying now, all the problems would go away.

      I read an article by an atheist columnist saying the real solution to problems in Africa was Evangelical missionaries. Why? Well, missionaries and others have understood this for years. It’s a value change that’s required, not just education or cash. The columnist was saying that from what he can tell, Evangelical missionaries are the most effective at bringing culture-transforming value changes, even though he disagrees with their theology.

  • Lori O.

    One thing I have noticed over the past 2-3 years is that people just flat out do not know how to debate/argue. They don’t present their side properly or intelligently. I don’t watch TV and haven’t for over 2 years now. When I go to peoples houses and Fox News/MSNBC is on, all I hear are these loud mouthed “journalists” talking like 7 year olds in an argument. Off the wall name calling/insults. NO calm, rational, intelligent debate.

    Remember debates? You had to present your side and then defend it. I recently saw a negative FB post about Pelosi – referring to her looks and her lifestyle. When I posted a comment asking for the actual reasons for not liking (ie policy, decision making, etc). Then I was attacked for disagreeing about Pelosi. Which I didn’t at all, I just wanted some real information on why they didn’t like her.

    BTW – I am so not into politics or those news channels; – honestly I don’t know a whole lot about her. I tried to explain to the original poster that by listing actual facts about her policies would educate people and inform them. Just knowing that she “looks like a crazy person that eats babies” just simply isn’t enough to inform me. This was from an intelligent, professional, middle-aged person. What has happened to the world?

    • @ Lori O I know what you mean about people just talking over each other.

      Do you think this is because we only heard one opinion before, so there was no one expressing opposing views to talk over?

      When was the last time you saw a debate outside of academia? Political debates have long been about talking points and sound bytes, not about reasonable argument or debate. Much of talk radio is not about reasonable argument, but about saying whatever it takes to try to convince people that you’re right and other people are wrong. That’s why we like Dennis Prager. He’s respectful to everyone, and reasonable even with who disagree with him.