Exaggerations don’t make good arguments

[kayay]

I read something I had to comment on. A person made a remark along the lines of “dedication to something is admirable”. Apparently, that was construed as a compliment towards the subject of the entry, something the writer didn’t want to hear, because said subject was an ex. Thus, the retort was made, “The Nazi’s were determined, but that doesn’t

Comments

[kayay]

Exactly! I found this list:

• Get drunk
  You will have strong views about the issues, even the ones you don't know nothing about. In the worst scenario at least you think yourself that you outwitted others lefthanded.
  
• Make things up
  Use exact figures shaked off from the sleeve. Invent your references also on the fly. It's very impressing to have more figures than Al Gore: "No, I don't think so. According to National Social Security Study addressed to Congress April 24th 1996 dr. CJ Willeford proves that during the period of 1992-1994 there were only 230 450 cases of welfare frauds resulting the loss of $1 043 500 for the federal state."
  
• Apply heavy usage of Latin and intellectual words
  Poor: "Things are bad."
  Better: "The formative mechanism of culture amounts to a reification of human activities which fixates the living and models the transmission of experience from one generation to another on the transmission of commodities; a reification which strives to ensure the past's domination over the future."
  
• Play nazi card
  Compare your opponent to Hitler: "That's something Hitler would have said."
  
• Use personal insults
  If you have absolutely run out of arguments grap for the shortest straw:
  - No, I don't think so. According to National Social Security Study addressed to Congress April 24th 1996 dr. CJ Willeford proves that during the period of 1992-1994 there were only 230 450 cases of welfare frauds resulting the loss of $1 043 500 for the federal state.
  - But I have three new studies here in my bag that show very different figures, look.
  - Yes, but have you noticed how ridicilously big nose you have?
  
• Pretend to be stupid
  This tactic should be consider if the outcome of your argument has some real, maybe important consequences. Just repeat and repeat your point and refuse to understand or listen what your opponent has to say. When the tactic is carried out wilfully the argument can be won through opponent's exhaustion.

[ayvah]

Not the one I've read, but possibly better.