“3 LAME LINES THAT MAKE PEOPLE THINK YOU’RE CHILDISH DURING (HEATED) ARGUMENTS” in "LIFE IN THE TIMES OF CORONA"

Well, I know that I’ve already promised myself not to respond to stupid arguments. No, wait. Scratch that. Arguments are sometimes still important. (Remember, only sometimes.)

However, some people are just not worth arguing with. I know I’ve written something similar before, a long time ago. Now I’m focusing more on the lame lines they keep on using – just to fight dirty and win the argument at all costs.

Especially when you realise that you’re about to lose the argument anytime soon (plus your dignity and self-worth too, somehow!), here are three (3) lame lines that make people think you’re childish during (heated) arguments and the reasons why:

1. “So you can’t take other people’s different opinions and values, can you?”

This is actually a dirty way to force your point across and win an argument. If your argument to oppose one’s opinion is solid, supported by valid data and facts, then it’s still understandable if you complain like this when being denied.

However, most of the time, you just blab that line out without thinking or good intentions. When you get challenged again with a much better, stronger argument, you sulk and use that lame line – simply to defend yourself. YOU, not your opinion. There’s a difference there.

Why lame? Because it’s obvious that your ego is oh-so-fragile. You can’t take losing an argument, especially to someone you dislike and disrespect. It hurts your pride. They make you look – and feel – stupid and humiliated.

At least, this line can make your adversary’s victory taste more like dirt. No, you’re not the open-minded here, really. You personally attack them just to make yourself look – and feel – better.

What you accuse them of just actually says the same thing about yourself. You’re the one who can’t take it when someone, if not anyone, disagrees with you. You’d like to believe that you’re always right.

1. You overly generalise by default.

It doesn’t matter if they don’t specify ‘all’ for one category they refer to. It doesn’t matter they’ve already made that clear since the very, very beginning – by using quantifiers like ‘some’, ‘plenty’, ‘many’, and ‘a lot of’.

Even when they have already compiled enough valid data as evidence to support their arguments regarding certain issues, it still doesn’t matter. You’re still personally offended, even when it’s damn obvious that they’re not talking about you. Yes, some of your kind are behaving like that, but why are you so touchy if you’re not doing the same bad things they do?

It’s a sad thing that you’re still blinded by your own privileges and self-entitlement. If you believe you’re one of the good guys, then why do you act as if they’re accusing you of some unspeakable misdeeds that others in your kind do? Do they even specifically mention your name as one of the worst?

For example: if you’re not a rapist, then there’s no need for you to get angry everytime someone states a fact that many of your kind happen to be molesters. You should be offended because they give your kind a bad name by hurting other people, not because they happen to be your kind and accused.

If you keep feeling offended for the wrong reasons, then you don’t really care about the victims. Instead, you keep on playing the victim. You make it all about you all over again, because your fragile ego just can’t accept reality as it is.

1. “Fine, you’re always right and I’m always wrong!”

Need to say more about this? It’s already obvious. Even if you happen to be right, this lame line won’t gain you sympathy. Far from it.

Oftentimes, you need to pick your battles wisely. Not everyone will always agree with you, no matter how logical you may be.

This also applies if you’re the wrong one, yet you still insist on winning the argument at all costs. Well, grow up. You’ll only sound oh-so-bitter – like all pathetic losers do – with this very lame line. You won’t win.

They won’t even respond to you at all once they learn you’re just not worth it.

I don’t know about you, but I usually stay away from people who often use these lines to justify themselves. I’d rather not speak to them at all, unless I have to – which is thankfully rare. I make sure of that.

R.