We all know how futile it is to argue - futile in the sense of how exceedingly rare it is for one of the arguing parties to change their mind and concede the argument. You often see the problem in long comment threads and wonder why people bother. Comments are a vital aspect of blogging of course, but make a comment and move on is my policy.
As suggested by the immortal Monty Python sketch, argument is a social game, a contest, a battle for supremacy. To concede is to lose, but as nobody ever needs to concede, nobody loses. Verbal behaviour is so subtle, so flexible that the point at issue will never be brought to the table unless it suits both parties to do so. Of course it hardly ever does.
Often there is no point at issue at all and the contest is merely a battle of words, a skirmish between differing modes of verbal behaviour, differing verbal habits.
Or maybe you disagree?
5 comments:
There's nothing like a theological debate with a Muslim convert friend to get the blood flowing. It also adds a bit of spice to the proceedings to know that your opponent firmly believes the skin is going to be burned off your back for an eternity by their compassionate God...
PS Monty Python are up there in the pantheon of real gods.
Hi Spinoza - I thought you were dead.
I agree with you about Monty Python. Some of their stuff fell flat, but some was inspired. I still remember the stir they caused when they first appeared on TV.
Are you quite sure about all this? Now in my view if you.....
AKH, agreed. But comment threads are still important because it reminds you how incredibly stupid people are, they have grasp of neither actual facts nor logic, or maths or anything at all.
If a Daily Mail reader says that Britain is a crowded island on the cusp of being concreted over then that is the end of the matter and no amount of referring them to actual land use statistics will help.
D - I'm hardly ever completely sure about anything... Or am I?
MW - But who reads the back and forth threads? I know I don't.
Post a Comment