For the last four months my weekly postings here have actually been chapters from my latest book, Simple Realities (The pathway to happiness and success), which is now available at Amazon.com and on Kindle. The book has 82 chapters, so there is a lot of material that you haven’t seen.
Following is another chapter.
ARGUMENTS
There’s an old country song titled “Do What You Do Do Well.” For decades now a couple of my friends and I have been arguing about what that title means. One of us says it means that whatever you do you should do well. Another insists it means do only what you do well. The third says that if you follow either of the foregoing suggestions you will achieve both, so therefore, it means both. Most arguments are just as futile as this one.
A long, drawn-out argument is a sure sign that neither side is right.
Arguments for and against vary in importance with a person’s point of view.
Arguments always interrupt discussions.
It’s almost impossible to reason people out of something they weren’t reasoned into.
The best argument is an effective explanation.
There’s no point arguing with extremists.
When someone says they agree in principle, the argument is already underway.
Silence is the best answer to a bad argument.
It’s frustrating to argue with people who actually know what they’re talking about.
Ignorance produces a lot of interesting arguments.
The best way to get the last word is to apologize.
Arguing isn’t the best way to prove that a stick is crooked; just lay a straight stick beside it.
“Yes, but ...” is an argument.
You can learn more from someone who argues with you than from someone who agrees with you.
Because more minds are changed through experience than through argument, letting someone have their own way is sometimes the best way to prove a point.
It’s annoying to find someone arguing on your side that you wish was arguing on the other side.
An argument always has at least two sides; what it needs is an end.
Somebody’s opinion doesn’t make something a fact.
It takes two to start an argument, but one can end it.
Many arguments can be avoided by considering hostile questions as simply requests for information.
The best way to win an argument is to be right; but if you win all your arguments you’ll lose all your friends.
Issues should always be separated from personalities.
Arguments, even when enjoyable, will be counter-productive in some way.
You may have to disagree, but being disagreeable is a choice.
There are bigger fools than the people who think they know everything; the bigger fools are the people who argue with them.
There’s no need to shout if the right words are used; when you start yelling people stop listening.
Relenting isn’t the same as agreeing.
It’s much better to be able to finish an argument than to be able to start one.
When disagreeing with a loved one, deal only with the current situation; never bring up the past.
It’s usually opinions, not facts, that start arguments.