Discussing politics and other contentious sunjects online feels to me like it’s counterproductive these days and even though I try not to get suckered in, I often can’t help myself. Usually though I just end up feeling frustrated and sometimes angry at the other person either missing my points or refusing to accept them.
Thinking back to conversations I’ve had here and previously on Reddit, not only can I not remember an example of me “winning” the discussion and the other person changing their mind or conceding the point, I also cannot think of a time where my mind was changed either.
So have you ever begun a discussion online with someone with a different view point to yours and either you, or they, changed the others mind?
You’re right about knowing your audience. That’s when I do my best work.
You literally have to know what thought is going to pop into their heads before they do. Then, you kind of steer the conversation like a tour guide in a car. Your goal isn’t to be right, but to give them the best experience. And, the best experience is having a reason to live in a world without their fantasy. For most people, fantasy is the only thing they have left – especially in this world. And crushing that without giving them something equally sustainable (for their mental state) makes one an asshole. It isn’t that you can’t convince a lot of people. It’s that you have to crush them to do it sometimes.
Great point on knowing when to stop as well.