Thank You for Arguing, Third Edition

To win a deliberative argument, don’t try to outscore your opponent. Try instead to get your way.

Bernie Sanders saying Republicans have “declared war on the middle class” (in fact, anyone who deploys the war metaphor): fight. Yogi Berra saying, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humility”: argument.

In other words, one way to get people to agree with you is to agree with them—tactically, that is. Agreeing up front does not mean giving up the argument. Instead, use your opponent’s point to get what you want. Practice rhetorical jujitsu by using your opponent’s own moves to throw him off balance. Does up-front agreeing seem to lack in stand-up-f

The basic difference between an argument and a fight: an argument, done skillfully, gets people to want to do what you want. You fight to win; you argue to achieve agreement.