The Definitive Guide to Destroying your opponent in a debate

Spunt said:
Don't argue about anything important anywhere on the Internet if your goal is changing the other person's view. That will never happen because nobody enters these debates with any plan to concede the point no matter how hard they lose. Psychology doesn't work that way.

Instead, your target is the audience. People change their minds based not on debates they have had themselves, but on those they see between third parties. This is because they have much less ego invested in one particular outcome.

So adopt tactics that play well to neutrals. Be pleasant and courteous and keep your cool. Let your opponent damage themselves if they flip out but do not gloat or obviously goad them.

And most importantly of all, your rhetoric should come from your opponent's premises if possible. Presenting arguments that, for example, capitalism is the best hope for raising people out of poverty or that feminism harms equality will deprive your opponent of much of their rhetorical weaponry. Arguing from your opponent's premises is devastating because it means they can't try to demonise or smear you, or attack your values. It's also much more likely to win over neutrals, which is the real point of online debate.
Click to expand...

Make sure to get them to nail themselves down to a concrete premise, first. Make sure the audience notices when they stray off-premise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JambledUpWords and Recoil
Imagine how different the landscape of online discourse would be if more people simply admitted to being wrong once in a while.
 
Recon said:
Imagine how different the landscape of online discourse would be if more people simply admitted to being wrong once in a while.
Click to expand...
The problem is people incorporating ideas about stuff into the cores of their personae. Criticism or attack directed at the idea instantly becomes personal and rational discourse dies in a car fire.
 
  • Winner
  • Like
Reactions: Sīn the Moon Daddy and Recoil
maaliktheprisonguard said:
I love the farms, everyone is a sperg.
Click to expand...
Says the sperg who opens with an AMA about how to "successfully" debate. What, did you get blown out in an internet debate and you are trying to find some strangers to agree with you that you actually won or something?

Or is this some copy-paste gimmick? Less sad, I guess, if that's the case, although also kinda stupid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: obliviousbeard
Corbin Dallas Multipass said:
Says the sperg who opens with an AMA about how to "successfully" debate. What, did you get blown out in an internet debate and you are trying to find some strangers to agree with you that you actually won or something?

Or is this some copy-paste gimmick? Less sad, I guess, if that's the case, although also kinda stupid.
Click to expand...
Oh yes I am very embarrassed (sarcasm). Also I did say that I rarely lose debates.
 
Last edited:
  • Autistic
Reactions: obliviousbeard and Krimjob
  • Agree
Reactions: obliviousbeard
This is a good point. Make sure to repeatedly insist your opponent is angry and needs to calm down. My argument is stupid and my facts are all bullshit? Wow buddy sounds like you're pissed, maybe take some time off the internet to calm down.
 
Here’s an easy way to win an argument:
748995
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back