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Under the guise of "Getting Smarter Here" countless posts have hit the front page attacking tough issues and passionately arguing a point of view.
We all have a natural energy for persuasion and a desire to convey our perspectives as logically, emotionally and convincingly as possible. But given the set of beliefs each of us carry and our own sense of persuasive power and ego, has anyone been convinced lately?
This is not an attempt to psychoanalyze why we post articles, persuade, defend or attack, but rather to take a look at some of the approaches we see every day and consider with you what works and what doesn't.
Convincing others may not even be at the heart of your comment, but improving our approach can help all of us get smarter.
What doesn't work
1. CAPS. WRITING IN ALL CAPS DOES NOT GIVE YOUR ARGUMENT A SPECIAL ADVANTAGE OR PROVIDE A CONVINCING APPROACH. RATHER MOST PEOPLE READ THAT YOU ARE YELLING AT THEM.
2. Personal attacks. I have yet to see anyone come around to a point of view because they were sufficiently insulted, embarrassed or intimidated.
Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right. ~ Laurens Van der Post
3. Restating the obvious. "If only I could make you understand" captures this approach in a nutshell. The "persuader" goes back again and again, "listen to me closely," "let me spell it out for you," "remember the first five reasons? Think about them again ok."
One comes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whether the statement be true of false. It comes to be dominating thought in one's mind. ~ Robert Collier
Chances are good the audience understood the first, second, and third time. Repeating may result in only dominating threads or thoughts, but if others continue to disagree with your points it is not necessarily because their skull is too thick or their ears plugged up.
4. Emphasizing the unrelated. "Dude you totally can't spell so go chew on some Alphabits." or "You may be right, but if I said 'therefore' 12 times in one comment I would kill myself."
Those are some exaggerated diversions thrown into the comment sections when thoughtful response is out of reach.
What may work
1. Re-posting parts of the comment you are addressing. It tends to conveys that you have read the other point of view, considered it, and are taking the time to begin a thoughtful response.
2. Sharing a personal experience. Learning from others is a great way to get smarter and others can appreciate informative anecdotes that are not so adversarial.
3. Offering your views with a sense of humor. We enjoy it, we appreciate it, we can actually hear what is being said.
Anyone without a sense of humor is at the mercy of everyone else. ~ William Rotsler
Humor is a rubber sword--it allows you to make a point without drawing blood. ~Mary Hirsch
4. Posting links. Whenever you offer a fact based premise it goes a lot further with a link to an objective authoritative source. Just don't expect the link to speak for itself or others to be suddenly convinced.
Nobody believes the official spokesman... but everybody trusts an unidentified source. ~ Ron Nesen
5. Conceding elements of your viewpoint. Chances are good you don't own the copyright on truth, so be willing to accept that there are views you can concede, even as you assert your own points of view. It goes a long way to showing some open-mindedness.
Convinced?
Of course not...
For every person who wants to teach there are approximately thirty people who don't want to learn--much. W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman
But here's hoping we consider our approaches and keep and open mind:
Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. ~ Sir Winston Churchill
Have you encountered some colorful examples of convincing and unconvincing approaches?
