I may not have the plumbing, but I have a brain

Especially in election years, the following clich

Comments

  1. In general, I agree with you. Let me repeat that – I agree with your logic and I also think that the ‘if you don’t have…’ argument is flawed and rarely convinces me of much.

    Where I disagree with you is in the assertion that “it’s hard to actually win an argument when you’re actually wrong”. This assertion does not match my experience. The largest and most obnoxiously distracting recent example that comes to mind being GWBush’s administration being factually and logically wrong about a WMD threat and an association between Iraq and the twin tower attack , and yet ‘winning’ the argument to attack Iraq.

    When you tell your reader “you’re wrong and you’ll never win”, you turn them off and make them defensive in much the same way that they turn you off by suggesting that possession of a body part should somehow be required for someone to advise appropriate usage of that body part.

    So, what catchy phrase do you have to suggest as an alternative?

    Cause honestly, catchy phrases WIN. They win a lot. That and LOLCATs. Or a good Ryan Gosling photo with some text on it. Except that wouldn’t win so well with alledgedly hetero conservative types. Maybe Sarah Palin’s photo with some text on it. That would win.

    • You’re absolutely right, in that you can gain a lot of support from weak-minded people through propaganda …

      I suppose you can make short term gains using it (e.g., convincing people to support aggression against Iraq, or bombing an abortion clinic, etc.), but “winning” is a more lasting effect, like ending slavery.

Leave a Reply to Dossy Shiobara Cancel reply

*