How to Win an Online Political Argument
The answer: You can’t. Don’t try to—ever!
Why this isn’t this obvious to all? Yet we all (that includes me) are often sucked into a heated online argument at some point. Political ones are impassioned and never “winnable”. Worse yet, when done with people you like/care about, you can erode a friendship, perhaps irreparably. I have already gotten sucked into some by posting my views, and as a result inciting an argument. And I feel badly for those arguments. I will do that no longer.
Those who know me know my views. Those who know me like me (or don’t) for many reasons-my “politics” is probably not among the top reasons. We all know that for the next several weeks, we are in the vortex of a political shitstorm. Ultimately there will be winners and losers. And life will go on regardless of the outcome.
So my plea to you (and more importantly to myself) is not to try to “win” an argument, as there are no winners in online arguments. Only losers—diminished respect, anger and worse yet, lost relationships.
If your argument is with someone you know, here’s a wise suggestion–call/meet with them and talk. Good old-fashioned talk can be helpful. And if you’re open to listening and understanding their perspective, it might change how you think (and hopefully vice versa). But if you’d rather not talk about politics, then don’t! Just vote and support your national and local candidates and issues.
Election Day can’t come soon enough.
PS: This is my shortest Struming, but maybe my wisest. As I age, I understand that Less is More.
More Strumings
- “When Will You Retire, Lonny?”
- The Day Anne Murray Got Bruuuuuuuced.
- The Older I Get the More Liberal (and Conservative) I Get
- Experience Matters.
