I Love To Argue

I can’t sway them because logic is often sorely lacking in how their opinion was formed. I can’t argue against emotion. They are totally emotional.

My Facebook account has nearly 5,000 friends. Throw in the folks who follow me on the Fox on Fox page and Twitter and I’m somewhere north of 10,000. What I’m getting at is lots of posts fly by on my newsfeed.

In our highly charged political environment I sometimes see inflammatory posts. I read them. I look at the artwork. They upset me if they represent an opinion diametrically opposed to mine. They really steam me when they’re based on lies! They often are.

At that point what I should do is move on. Of course that’s what I don’t do! Instead I engage.

Here’s what I’ve found. When people are passionate in their beliefs they’re willing to buy into nearly anything. Even if you show them they’re quoting something already shown to be false or they’re using a quote so out-of-context only a contortionist could understand it makes no difference.

And yet I still engage. What the hell is wrong with me?

A few days ago the Courant’s Rick Green (himself no shrinking violet) walked by my desk and smiled slyly as he told me he’d read through a Facebook pissing match I’d been in. Maybe he felt my pain.

In these battles I feel invincible. Expressing myself is a large part of what I do for a living and I’m pretty good at it.

Still, no matter how incontrovertible my points the battles rage on. I close one door, they open another and another. Logic be damned!

I can’t sway them because logic is often sorely lacking in how their opinion was formed. I can’t argue against emotion. They are totally emotional.

At some point I’ll give in to the futility of my actions. Not yet. I still feel I can turn minds… if I can only find some actually engaged in these fights.

14 thoughts on “I Love To Argue”

  1. I remember reading that “debate”. It WAS clear no matter what you said, your opponent was not to be swayed, even when he was clearly in the wrong on some of his points. You held your own, did your best, and bowed out when it was clear nothing you said would penetrate his already made up mind. I was very interesting for sure!

  2. Saw a sign on facebook that said “Don’t argue with idiots. They bring you down to their level and then they beat you with experience”. Words to live by. 🙂

  3. I am a conservative. Not a raging right wing ultra orthodox love the right only type, but more slightly more to the right of center type. Now Geof, I like to read your blog because you are usually interesting and I really think you are a decent sort of guy. Sometimes you say things which rubs me wrong, but I let it go. Not because I am a nice guy but due to words of wisdom my Mom oftern repeated to me, ” If you try to throw a rock at every bird that flys past your nose you will run out of rocks.” So Geof, don’t worry about any rocks coming from me when your left is out on full display. Not that you would care I think anyway, :-).

  4. Geoff, as one that has gone a round or two with you, I may not agree with you all the times, But I do enjoy seeing your point of view. I have always believed to support the right of people to express their views even if I disagree with that point of view.

  5. Please remember, Geoff, to others you are the one who is passionate in your beliefs and are, at times, willing to buy into nearly anything. Even if you’re quoting something already shown to be false or you’re using a quote so out-of-context only a contortionist could understand it makes no difference. 🙂

    Passion is blinding and it works both ways. In the end we all want the same thing – a better world.

  6. Quote{At some point I’ll give in to the futility of my actions. Not yet. I still feel I can turn minds… if I can only find some actually engaged in these fights.}

    Please, don’t ever give in!

    Donna =)

  7. Oh Geoff, if only your political views matched mine, you would be perfect! (HaHa) Like Joe F. above, I don’t comment, I only cringe.

  8. Francis Bacon had it right in 1620. “The human understanding, once it has adopted an opinion, collects any instances that confirm it, and though the contrary instances may be more numerous and more weighty, it either does not notice them or else rejects them,in order that this opinion will remain unshaken”.

    While both Right and Left are afflicted with this, the Right today is dominated by this paradigm. In the realm of science, it defines them.

  9. I don’t know who said it but “Non are so blind as those who will not see” reasonable people will listen to all sides before deciding some are just blind followers so “facts be damned”. All you can do is present facts you know to believe to be true and be done with it. Good for you for trying and hopefully some eyes will be opened or yours will see a different truth. Keep it up !!

  10. As others here have said, we all are influenced by our own experiences and the most important thing to remember is to listen to the other side and determine what impels their argument: blind loyalty to a political position, facts you didn’t consider, false information, etc. From that point you know whether to continue to argue or just walk away. Thank God we don’t all think exactly alike.

  11. Develop that Teflon coating Geoff and let things just slide off your back…bringing yourself down to some fool’s level is not correct. You are better than that!

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