How to Win a Debate
Without strong arguments
No. Debates are not only about ideas. Sometimes, your enemy will just know more than you do. And in such circumstances, you can’t afford to enter his field, let alone expect him to enter yours.
War doesn’t have honor, morale, or virtue.
You HAVE to get dirty.
You HAVE to use The Argumentum ad Personam.
Why Win Debates
If you still think winning a debate is to discuss ideas to learn or try to convince your opponent, you are deadly wrong.
Debates are made to expand your influence. They aim to sway people witnessing them to YOUR side.
For politics, it’s to win elections.
For you and me, it’s to get our ideas across.
In any case, it’s about proving to people that they should trust you over your opponent. And guess what?
Humans feel more than they think.
Fundamentally, we don’t care about how logical their reasoning is, how true their arguments are, and how competent they may be. We are looking for someone that makes us feel good.
If I overstate the point, I would say that we are seeking someone who can engage in enjoyable discussions at the dinner table…
