The Beauty of the Argument

Arguing is probably one of my favorite things to do. The time passes quickly, your blood can be boiling, cold as ice, or as calm as any other day. Yes there are those who do not know how to argue and through there usual assumption of what arguing is they dislike it and turn away from it at every opportunity. These people I don’t admire, they have yet to see the light of the brilliant argument. The ultimate form of discussing two opposing ideals with all and every idea or fact one knows and can logically and rationally put together in a reasonable fashion to make a coherent argument.

One of the flaws and the reason why most people don’t like to argue is, of course, that they get their emotions to close to what they are discussing. In these “heated arguments” people are no longer thinking logically and rationally-which is what I love about arguing-and they bring irrelevant facts and ideas to coincide with their argument, most cases it follows shortly by raising of voices and in some cases by physical out lashes.

It has always been my belief that as soon as someone in an argument begins to yell out of no need for it they have lost the argument. This is because they have allowed themselves to get to emotionally attached to their argument and what they are defending that the gateway to irrationality and ill logic is open. The only reason one would need to raise his or her voice is because their opponent has raised their voice, even then the argument-discussion should end quickly before the emotional involvement gets out of hand.

In discussing argument so far it may seem to you, as well as it seems to me, that I am talking of a debate. I do not like debates though, they are too formal and not in accordance to human nature; the argument I love is that between two people in a normal setting, either they were just relaxing or “hanging out” and then the argument came up or just they meet to argue in some private or public setting.

In contrast to the argument is the discussion of two people who agree on the topic that is being discussed. In an argument the same topic is being discussed but with two opposing ideas, in an “agreement discussion” the topic is agreed on by both parties and it’s just a feeding of the ego or building of the support of the idea behind the topic. I still do like being in agreement discussions; it is just that it always usually follows that same pattern. One person takes control of the discussion and the others agree, saying yes and nodding to the ideas, sometimes bringing up minor support to the main idea of the discussion but otherwise leaving one with the main control of the discussion. This is rather bland but it still has its’ upside so I do partake in it whenever I feel like it or when I come across it. So when you see yourself in a future agreement discussion make sure to pass the control of the argument along to the other(s) in the discussion, although sometimes the other person(s) may not have as much knowledge on the subject that you have so the control will eventually come back to you.

The only time arguing is pointless is when your opponent has irrationality and ill reasoning and cannot bring proper discussion.

Others have said that other subjects that I argue are pointless but I disagree. Such as religion, it has been told to me that I will never get anywhere when I argue religion, I will go in circles. This is true, you will never be able to convince someone of your ideas when you are discussing religion but then again that shouldn’t really be what you are going for in the first place when you are arguing. To me arguing is not a matter of convincing someone that your ideas are better then theirs, rather it is a way of getting the ideas you both know and share them with each other and upon reflection you make your decision on who’s side you wish to lean on. It could be that your opponent agrees with you or he or she would sustain their ideas, or that you change you mind to their ideas or you stay with you ideas. It is just a matter of getting the ideas out, and that is what is so intriguing to me.

In the process of arguing you can figure out how people think and why they think the way they do. The “why they think the way they do” is easy because they are stating blunting the reasons why they agree with their ideas through what they bring up in the argument and how they interrelate it to their side of the argument. It is that “how” they string their ideas together that I am most interested in. How they link their facts and their ideas to make their argument in the discussion, is what is so fascinating. It gives me insight as to how they think and how their mind works. I can see how much knowledge they have on the subject, what they are missing on the subject (if I know more then they do) and in what ways they rationalize their thoughts.

This understanding of another fellow human beings’ mind is what makes me so passionately for the argument. The connection you can get with someone else through a rational, logical and reasonable argument is subtle but if it is understood then it is a great and very pleasing sensation. Always at the end of the discussion there should be a handshake or a sign that you both understand each others ideas, whether or not you or they have agreed with each other as to who is “right.” It was a friendly bout of the mind and it made both of you the better for it. That is the true beauty of the argument.