it's one of those things where whoever gets there first wins

[redthedragon]

okay this is a very serious statement. if you are ever in a fucking stupid argument with someone on the internet and they are trying to pass themself off as an expert, tell them (before they can say it to you) to cite their sources. if they have said something dumb as bricks, go "cite me some sources on that". You automatically gain the high ground as someone who puts more value on the value of truth and objectivity - ie, you gain authority and they lose it- and also a lot of the time they cannot cite their sources, meaning that they lose.

even if you don't have sources (but you should, because why hold a position that is incorrect?) you still automatically gain points by demanding sources. I don't know why this isn't a more widely known argumentative tactic. It is highly effective. Even if they DO have sources, you have already positioned yourself in a position of relative power and they are in a position of relative weakness. Then from there if they send you to like, Vox or Buzzfeed you can just dismiss their articles out of hand and demand scholarly ones. I don't usually like doing that unless they're linking back to Fox News, but it's good to know the option is there.

also you should always have sources available in some way and you shouldn't get into arguments about things you cannot defend with proof. you don't have to walk into arguments with all your shit locked and loaded, but you should be able to pull up some secondary proof to your point. we don't like to see arguments based on nothing but bias and "well i THOUGHT it was true" here.

this has been your daily "red the dragon, winner of arguments" broadcast, because this is a wildly useful debate tactic and i would like to see it become more common not only to force people to start talking about facts and backing up their shit more often but also because it's effective and i like to make sure we all know how to win if possible lol

Comments

[sexytronians]

Yes much agree. It can also lead to the hilarious take down of ‘your source says the opposite of what you’re trying to argue’ which is very funny because it makes it clear they haven’t even bothered to read what they’re using as evidence.

Also because you can directly quote in full reference the bit that proves them wrong and sometimes I enjoy whipping out the fact I can roughly Harvard my shit.

[redthedragon]

Oh agreed, but it also functions as a highly effective power play. No matter what else you do, if you are arguing where other people can see you, you have just significantly tipped the balance in favor of you by being the first to demand objective proof. You have also made your enemy's job harder. You have taken the metaphorical high ground and now they have to do something about it, and I want to say a good eight times out of ten they will fail even if they are able to find something backing them up.

Like, I do love when my person finds a source that disproves their own point, that shit is hysterical. But even when they don't, you're still more optimally positioned in the eyes of everyone around you, and therefore you are winning. And I LOVE winning.

[redthedragon]

filed under "top ten responses that make me sound like a normal person"....

[sexytronians]

Yeah. Sources are great. I’m a bit miffed I’m loosing access to my Uni’s online library of academic stuff bc they were great sources. XP

Though to be honest I am the sort of dude who hates debating with people. Because I am both a man who likes the idea of coming on top in a debate though the Knowing of Things and wet jelly when it comes to dealing with strangers online who are trying to debate with me.

[redthedragon]

Sjdhf yeah. I'm more, like. i am a person who used to get into arguments about things i was unequivocally wrong about and KNEW it just because I like to argue with people so much XD now I avoid being wrong and I try to keep a handle on it a little more but ... god. I absolutely love arguing with people. *says a gay little rebuttal that pisses you off*