Are Debates Senseless?
Why bother wasting oxygen being annoyed with people you're not going to convince?
*This piece was inspired by tonight’s primary debate. Generally it is inadvisable for ordinary people to engage in “debates” as they may be inclined to do with the people they disagree with. But a primary is a notable exception. During a primary the public potentially has the opportunity to see what sets a candidate apart from other candidates -- and preferably those people really have achieved something, can ask thoughtful questions and engage people, and are helpful and available. We’ll see later tonight if candidates running truly are any of those things.
Lookout for our write up of the debate tomorrow!
Media moguls and other self promoters love debates because they create controversy and hence bring attention. In this way debates are fun for the casually interested and bored teens who haven’t figured out how to be productive yet.
For the rest of us, however, debates should be considered a blight to an otherwise pleasant and peaceable existence. This competitive noise making is usually as disempowering as it is ineffective as it is in changing people’s minds.
The great German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer says as much in the two page piece On Rhetoric from his seminal work The World as Will and Representation Volume II.
There Schopenhauer says “in order to convince another of a truth that conflicts with an error he holds firmly, the first rule to be observed is … let the premises come first, and the conclusion to follow. This rule, however, is seldom observed, and people go to work the reverse way, since zeal, hastiness, and dogmatic positiveness urge us to shout out the conclusion loudly and noisily.”
Debates, whether on social media, in person, or online, generally function in the same manner -- participants loudly state a known position while artfully dodging unpopular questions and working backwards to justify their pre-established conclusion.
Instead, for people who actually want to persuade others, there exist more convincing forms of communication should be considered.
Consider a few primary ways to win people over.
The most effective way to get people on your side is through diligence and achievement. An individual who has accomplished much and has the capability to politely keep others abreast of their achievements carries more gravitas or ability to persuade than even the most knowledgeable but unaccomplished person.
A second means of persuasive communication is polite and intelligent inquiry. By asking people questions you gain insight into their lives while they gain further insight into themselves. This mutual discovery -- and its attendant pleasure -- is endearing and adds more credence to the concerned truth seeker.
Third, merely being around is enough to earn people’s trust and eventually wield influence. For the maxim “when you’re there you care” holds true -- people trust the security that availability provides.
Lastly, being helpful puts one on a sure path to becoming indispensable and hence well respected. When we think, for instance, what would bring us the most joy in life -- or at the very least minimizes our suffering -- its unequivocally true that others' assistance sits atop of the list.
All of these forms of communication -- or ways behaving -- will help get people on your side. So put down the keyboard and set aside the complaints and get persuading!
Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University. You can find him commenting on news stories of national and state interest at his Facebook page Zigmund Reichenbach -- Commentator or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1. To support the creation of articles like these visit our Patreon here!