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Most arguments are about ego, not ideas

wangcong.org

11–20 of 599 posts

Re: Most arguments are about ego, not ideas

#11

They never mention they could’ve been wrong. The author assumes they’re always right, but that trying to convince others and argue them to their right side is not valuable. How about: maybe I’m wrong and I didn’t let their ideas influence me. How about: even when I think I’m right, it will be better to calmly kindly discuss, listening as much as talking, not debating or arguing or speaking over them, but attempting t…

Isn't that what they mean by "changing yourself"?

Re: Most arguments are about ego, not ideas

#13
I don't argue hard because I could be wrong.

So: I state my point. They can take it or leave it. If passionate I'll follow up offline/async with more ideas.

You really wanna be working with good faith people who are reasonably smart or all bets are off. Put the effort into a better work circumstance if not.

Re: Most arguments are about ego, not ideas

#16
> When you argue with someone, you think you’re debating an idea. Often you’re not. You’re challenging their sense of self.

This seems more true for the author than everyone else.

They didn't discover anything new about others, nor did they learn to argue more effectively. They just discovered their own ego, finally realized how often it gets in the way, and gave up.

While I agree that the best course of action is often to "do nothing", sulking is not nothing. I'm convinced they're the type of person who still argues with people on reddit all the time, but decided to stop doing that at work and with family. That's still unhealthy.

Re: Most arguments are about ego, not ideas

#18
>Slartibartfast: I'd far rather be happy than right any day.

>Arthur: And are you?

>Slartibartfast: No. That's where it all falls down of course.

>Arthur: Pity. It sounded like rather a good lifestyle otherwise.

Adulthood, career, marriage, parenthood, nearly everything since I first read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as a (pre?)teen has been slowly, stubbornly learning that this exchange is basically the key to everything.

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