Quote Originally Posted by NoSavingByTheBell View Post
So I guess you're saying that if somebody for an example just hates somebody or if their only goal is to simply always be right or appear to defeat someone in order to feel better about themselves, then their political views (or even boxing views or gastronomical views, it really doesn't matter what the topic is actually I would go further and say) will be influenced or obscured by that hatred or by that juvenile need to always win or appear witty with ad hominem one-liners and then they will just always try to win at any cost even if they are arguing some kind of nonsense.

Well some people are just contrary and always take the opposite view just in order to be contrary for the sake of it and in order to try to "win" all the time and I think that becomes apparent rather quickly.

That's what I would call a personality contest
Quote Originally Posted by NoSavingByTheBell View Post
Oh and I would definitely agree that that is one very big virtue to be able to change your opinion based on new facts or new evidence and I would also like to add that another great virtue is for a human being to admit that they are guilty of having done that personality contest thing to others.

I admit I have done that to you and to others but I don't think I have done it lately and I don't plan to.


You're right in that some people are just contrary and always take the opposite view. And yes... there's all sorts of reasons why people engage in "personality contests" just to "win." If you hate/dislike someone... if you have this need to always "win"... if you just want to appear witty to everyone... etc, etc. To be honest, we've all done it at times... some more than others.

In arguments like "who's the better boxer", or "what's the best drink, or food"... it's pretty much harmless. But in important issues, like politics, it becomes downright frustrating and sometimes even damaging. Maybe it's just me... but with the advent of social media "experts", and the erosion of what used to be basic human values... the percentage of arguments that devolve into personality contests has risen quite a bit.