It is sad when people resort to insults or sarcasm on coming up against an opinion they don’t agree with…
…especially online.
I assume this is because they have no cogent argument to back up their views.
I rarely contribute to such ‘discussions’, either online or in the pub. There is no point getting involved in an argument with someone who isn’t going to listen to my pearls of wisdom – or anyone else’s.
Occasionally a true wit can turn around the blusterer’s point in such a way as to defuse the argument with humour, and I think, ‘I wish I’d thought of that.’
The ranter is unlikely to appreciate the wit though. All it achieves there is to deepen their rage.
###
###
Sadly, it seems that political debate is going the same way in our parliamentary houses.
###
Did you have a debating society in your school?
Did reasoned debate form part of your school curriculum?
How long ago was that? (In my case, it was the 1960s)
Copyright © 2023 cathy-cade.com – All rights reserved.
Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings 
Yes, we had a debating society, grammar school, 1960s but it was all very civilised, as we’re most things. Bad language, insults and sarcasm, if we had ever needed to resort to them, would have been frowned upon and considered an irrelevance
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ll have to ask my daughter if they have debating options in her comprehensive in Dagenham.
LikeLike
What a great subject!
I would say that resorting to belittling and using sarcasm to argue back is a way of saying they have no defense. Something I’ve experienced my whole life from others is when they play devil’s advocate.
Healthy debates are great. They help you to articulate and express yourself more effectively.
However, what happened with me every time I expressed a viewpoint, everyone in my family loved playing devil’s advocate no matter what I said. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t like to argue with anyone. If I sense that you are playing devil’s advocate with me because you are playing head games with me, I will have nothing to do with you. I don’t need that. No one does.
I vaguely recall a debate club at our school, but I never participated. I thought I argue enough at home. This was in the ’70s.
I love philosophical discussions. I can do that all day. Philosophy is one of my fortes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I avoid argument these days too. Echange of view is one thing, but there’s no point presenting reasoned argument to someone who isn’t going to listen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I last worked for an employer I was having a heated discussion with my boss and was shouting. He said to me, “Phil it’s not the one who can shout loudest that is important but the one with the best argument.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Quite right too. It’s a bully-boy belief that he who shouts loudest wins the argument. Sadly a number of our current politicians and some TV interviewers also subscribe to this philosophy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It made me snicker when I read that. I immediately modified what your boss said. Here’s mine.
“It’s not the one who shouts loudest that is important, but the one who shouts the LONGEST.”
That’s what popped into my head as soon as I read that. I couldn’t resist 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
He said something else to me that has stayed with me, I had made a dreadful mistake, to this day I can’t remember what it was, I told him what had happened and apologised, I was really upset about it. He said, “Thanks for telling us but don’t worry, the man who never made a mistake never made anything.”
LikeLiked by 3 people
Mistakes are how we learn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
(Ours, or other people’s…)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did not have a debating society in school, but I had a lawyer for a father and learned early how to make a point without resorting to high emotion or attack. My grandchildren have formally studied debate and are very good at keeping away from personal slurs when arguing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good for them. If you have to resort to insults you’ve already lost the argument.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Whereas in the home environment it’s – anything goes😊
There was a Debate Society at my all girls grammar school ( 1950s – yes I’m that old) but…..you had to be vetted to get in!
Talk about- if your face didn’t fit (or your level of intelligence). Only girls who they thought capable were allowed to join.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wonder what their criteria was for capability? I hope not the ones that immediately come to my mind… (or perhaps I have a nastily suspicious mind).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Agreed with your views.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I suspect we’re part of the silent majority. sometimes I wonder if I should make my opinion heard just to allay the impression that the vociferous represent the majority viewpoint… In the real world, the best thing to do is to ignore them and let them rant on to themselves, but online they stick around like mosquitos.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are right again. Today with the internet, keyboard warriors can become cyber bullies. It makes opinions muted or toned down else it can destroy.
LikeLiked by 2 people