Why argue with someone extreme bias?

[great_bay]

Did you think you were going to change them? Do you think you were going to change their minds?

Arguing with someone with an extreme bias has to be the least productive thing ever. It's not beneficial in the slightest. They'd probably insult you in return just for presenting an opposing viewpoint. I understand bias when it comes to topics like if females wanted to be included in the military. However, the kind of people who I had in mind is intolerance to people's ethnic origin. It appears like nothing one would say would get through their heads. Of course, people with a great deal bias isn't exclusive to racist people of course. I don't care to argue with people who have a huge degree of bias. I use to get into trade viewpoints thinking I was going to change their mind.

 

[Ingrid in grids]

Protip: don't.

 

[geedoenfj]

When I argue with someone I always want to get to a win-win situation, and find mostly an agreement, but if he is bias and is not willing to open up, I just don't waste my time and energy, He might even convince me with that opinion of his.. Who knows hahaha
I don't really give it that big a deal unless he insults my intelligence, that's when I perhaps get aggressive and very defensive..

 

[ceecee]

Did you think you were going to change them? Do you think you were going to change their minds?

Arguing with someone with an extreme bias has to be the least productive thing ever. It's not beneficial in the slightest. They'd probably insult you in return just for presenting an opposing viewpoint. I understand bias when it comes to topics like if females wanted to be included in the military. However, the kind of people who I had in mind is intolerance to people's ethnic origin. It appears like nothing one would say would get through their heads. Of course, people with astronomically bias isn't exclusive to racist people of course. I don't care to argue with people who have a huge degree of bias. I use to get into trade viewpoints thinking I was going to change their mind.

Well, that happens here frequently with certain people. Arguing this with them will accomplish nothing on either side. My issue is that I'm told- I can't change, this is how I was raised to believe. That, is what I would argue with because it is ridiculous. Not their actual beliefs.

 

[Cygnus]

Why discussing with someone extreme grammer?

 

[prplchknz]

i try not to, but sometimes i think oh there reasonable and i'm like fuck nevermind. and i tell them i'm done and they keep trying to argue their very wrong point so lesson is don't argue on the internet. let people be wrong on the internet it will save your heart and sanity

 

[five sounds]

I hate arguing but I still feel like I can speak my mind and maybe plant a seed. That's my strategy, giving my 2 cents and dipping out lol

 

[Jaguar]

Yes, I did change their mind. How? By getting an inch from their eyes and saying something they never thought they would hear. The guy was a racist. What I said is my business, but it did change his mind. That aside, I probably agree with you. Those with an extreme bias can be downright dangerous - no different than a loaded gun.

 

[Qlip]

I'm not built for arguing, it's boring and nonproductive (for me). The only time I'll actually try to change someone's mind is when they're standing in the way of where I'm trying to go, and there's no getting around them.

 

[Poki]

The goal is not to change thier mind, it's to open their eyes.

 

[C.J.Woolf]

In a public forum, you argue not to persuade the biased person but to persuade the lurkers.

Or you argue just because you like to argue. </honesty>

 

[magpie]

In real life, I will tell a racist person they're being racist for the benefit of those around me who may feel harmed by unchecked racism. But I usually don't get into race things on forums. There doesn't seem to be much point.

 

[miss fortune]

because if you can introduce even one small shred of doubt into their mind there is some hope

and like [MENTION=57]C.J.Woolf[/MENTION] said... it's fun

(not saying here that I always have patience for it, but sometimes...)

 

[Cygnus]

Okay. In a serious response to OP: you don't seem to be taking a neutral, apathetic stance towards argument against bias because it's futile, you seem to be actively denouncing the practice. If it's probably fruitless but it's not worth a try, you're not just refusing to entertain it due to futility, you're actively steering clear of it because there's some other aspect of it that doesn't rub you well. To me, your reason seems to be conflict avoidance. I consider conflict avoidance an inherently bad policy because it eventually drains you of all ability to do anything.


On the other hand, I don't see any point in pressuring people out of undesirable viewpoints/opinions if it isn't within my own power to get them to reconsider. I'll try to convince them otherwise if I disagree, but if I can't, I won't hold it against them unless it's actively causing damage around us. But I don't condone brute-force mob mentality as a means to remove any viewpoint, no matter how detestable. Ever. That is bad in principle.

 

[Bush]

I'm in it for the possibility to learn something myself, whether it's about the viewpoint itself or about what leads to that viewpoint.

If they don't take anything away from the conversation except for further reinforcement of their own opinions.. well, hats off to them. They do what they gonna do.

Other than that, what obligation do I have? There aren't many circumstances where it's worth trying to change their minds.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

The only reason I see to debate with someone who won't change their mind is to practice your own writing and debate skills. I've done it with that motivation. I'd say that it is rare that people change their minds when presented with new information. People prefer to stick to the familiar, so it is generally disappointing to expect a debate to evolve between two people. It works better with a group to get several perspective so it can evolve at the social level instead of the individual.

 

[Magic Poriferan]

1: To persuade or inform any third party that may be observing the argument,

2: To give my own argumentation some practice. Sometimes a person who is an immovable brick wall can be useful for trying out an idea.

3: There's a slim chance of changing the other person's mind a little bit (this is never my objective, though).

4: It can be fun.

I can't say I find these arguments to come at much of a cost, anyway.

EDIT: Thought of a 5th reason. If someone is saying something that seems awful, it can be desirable to show them that they will get shit for saying it and to show others that at least one person is already willing to not let them get away with it.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Not really an answer to the OP's question, but you don't know what you believe until you have to defend it.

Which is to say, being forced to justify one's view point clarifies in the mind just what those views are.

 

[EcK]

Well...
Because perhaps, there is a tiny chance, that at some level, at some point in the future. The aggregate of people calling them idiots will, in 1% of cases, actually sink in.
It also polarizes people so, there are downsides. But hey, that's life

On a more basic level: because if they can say stupid shit, why can't I expose some arguments.

The issue I guess is that after a while one gets tired of repeating things that have been clearly demonstrated as 'true'. Or pointing out gaping holes in reasoning, or utter non-sensical statements etc.

There's also always something to learn from listening to different opinions. I mean there is some reason why people believe what they do. Be it endoctrination, sheer idiocy, ego (always ego), the cost of abandoning beliefs they are so invested in, the emotional rewards and group dynamics linked to these beliefs... (aka: leaving a belief is often leaving a community linked to your sense of identity, the increase reward of and drive to finding info that fits their hypothesis)

It's also amusing. at times. I mean you need some sort of enjoyment from it otherwise you're not going to last very long.
And finally, a conversation is rarely just about THAT person at THAT TIME. It can be about the day's mood (on both sides) about projection (aka: you remind me of this sucker I hate), because there's an audience (motivations there can vary from impressing people, oneupmanship, socializing, being an entp (pathological form of compulsive devil advocating) etc.)

 

[chubber]

I just plant little seeds, they need to go out and ask more questions.