Posted on 01/09/2014 10:30:15 AM PST by Jayster
I on occasion do engage in debates with Liberals on various sites. On my Facebook, I have both Conservative and Liberal friends and there are times when I feel the need to jump in.
I have used some techniques to counter the various things that Libs do in the debates and we have seen them all. They do not play fair.
One technique that I use in person and on the Internet is to take a timeout (when you can) and explain to them both Confirmation Bias and Cognitive Dissonance. After doing this, we get back into the conversation and I point out when they are using the CB or experiencing the CD. It can work effectively.
But what I have done recently has actually worked better than I thought. So let’s say that you have a normal conversation on a Facebook (FB) page of a friend and it is about politics. Nice normal conversation then a Lib jumps in with typical Lib Talking Points and it is obvious that they came in for a fight. We ALL know how that goes…….you say something, they say something, you say something back etc…. It has a flow to it where you know that they are going to do and say certain things. So I started thinking……if we already know that they are going to do these things, why not predict them right off the bat and put them on the defense trying to prove you wrong that they will not do them.
I see it as a Win/Win situation because you will either take them off of their game by not doing them or will prove you right by doing them. Others in the conversation (Liberal and Conservative) will see as you point them out and even point them out for you.
So what I am asking from the Freepers on here is to look at my Predictions List that I copy and paste on these debates and help me fine tune them. I am not looking at a large list of things, just a few main predictable things that they do.
Additionally, try using it yourself and see if it is effective and let me know.
I predict that you (Liberal in the discussion) will do one or more of the following:
• Will not answer your questions
• Will insist that I answer your questions
• At some point feign moral outrage to try to get me on the defense
• While feigning moral outrage you will make or have made statements that are offensive
• Disrupt the conversation • Bring up Bush or Fox News (they will call it Faux News thinking it is cute), Rush, Palin, Beck etc…..
• Only site Liberal News sources and dismiss any Conservative News sources. This creates a “Feedback Loop” where only Liberals are credible sources of information
• Tend to view people as Parts of Groups and not Individuals
These tactics are often engaged - not just with liberals - but amongst ourselves where ar FR. We’ve all seen others engage in them and we all know who is winning/losing the debate and the replies fly back and forth
I’ve engaged others using these tactics. Sometimes ya win. Sometimes ya lose. Sometimes you are right. Sometimes not. But these tactics do work in establishing a winning strategy.
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• Will not answer your questions
• Will insist that I answer your questions
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Ahh, the questions. Oftentimes the losing side will focus on straw-man questions; irrelevant questions; and other non-essential questions that do nothing but deflect from the topic at hand.
Its aggravating to answer them and/or ignore them. And when they reufuse to answer the direct yes or no questions on the table that would prove you right, I find it best to restate that the points have been made and move on.
Oh, and let them have the last word or insult. It goes without saying that name calling is indeed the last resort of losers and whiners.
I ask, in response to a question or assertion, “is there any amount of evidence or rational argument that will cause you to change your mind?” If I get a “no” answer, I just observe that there is no need for further discussion. If I get a “yes” answer, I go ahead with the argument.
Usually I get no response. But I refuse to continue without an unambiguous “yes” committment to open-mindedness.
I like it!
Some leftists insist on personalizing the discussion by (preemptively) attributing some negative emotion to you.
“Please don’t get upset/angry/annoyed, but ...”
“I understand that you’re upset/angry/annoyed about this ...”
“Perhaps you’re not ready to accept ...”
'You' meant 'write' or 'type', yes? </sarc>
(sorry...couldn't resist...)
You may want to suggest they grab the bulky 3-ring binder they received at the DNC-sponsored seminar so as to not tax their brains too much. Tell them you’ll wait.
“• Will not answer your questions”
Will not answer my questions... ?
Noted... Thanks!
(Chuckling)
Yep. They’re so eager to hear themselves talk that they’ll walk into the most obvious traps.
Then, the rage.
You can almost set your watch by it.
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