Not once in a thousand times will one man convince another in an
argument, and the benefits you get if you do convince the other fellow
will not compensate you for the waste of energy expended on the other
nine hundred and ninety-nine times when your efforts failed.
You convince a man against his will and he is of the same opinion
still.
There is a mighty lot of difference between argument and reason. You
may accomplish more by dividing your case into one or two good reasons
and telling your adversary that you will not argue the case, but you
will let him look at these reasons, and when he takes it up logically
you will have no fear of his conclusion, for truth must triumph.
While argument itself is a footless proposition, it is infinitely more
so if your argument is with those of less mental calibre than your own,
for by the law of compensation, in proportion as a man is ignorant, he
makes up in perversity and lack of analytical ability.
Do not stoop to contend with those who have no standing, mentally,
morally or physically. It is a waste of time.
If it is your purpose to change a man's opinion, do not try to do it by
argument. Study the ground carefully. State your points with
preciseness, make careful analysis of every phase of the situation,
take up the matter point by point. Start with your adversary by getting
on ground on which you both will agree. Take up the points on which
there can be little chance for differences of opinion. You will find
the other man will get in the habit of agreeing with your propositions
and that his antagonism weakens. State facts that are right and
truthful, and are so plain that the truth will be self-evident.
After you have made several propositions on which the other man agrees
with you wholly, then make a proposition that is ninety per cent. his
way and ten per cent. your way. Gradually increase that ten per cent.
until you swing him around so that he sees the truth. He then imagines
that he has made the deduction himself.
Remember, you can swing the biggest ship around by a steady, slow,
gentle pull. On the other hand a sudden strain on the hawser would
produce no effect whatever on the ship.
The man who wishes to convert another to his way of thinking must be a
diplomat if he is successful. Do not get excited, keep cool and
collected, be sure of your ground, be positive in your assertions, make
the whole matter clear, and use good judgment, sound reason and clear
logic.