How to Disagree

The most convincing form of disagreement is refutation. It's also the rarest, because it's the most work. While refutation generally entails quoting, quoting doesn't necessarily imply refutation.

But the greatest benefit of disagreeing well is not just that it will make conversations better, but that it will make the people who have them happier. If you study conversations, you find there is a lot more meanness down in DH1 than up in DH6. You don't have to be mean when you have a real point to make. In fact, you don't want to. If you have s... See more

Most people don't really enjoy being mean; they do it because they can't help it.