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  • how to win an argument with a toddler

    From Retrograde@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 15 03:08:27 2025
    From the «reminds me of ... something» department:
    Title: Seth Godin on How to Win an Argument With a Toddler
    Author: John Gruber
    Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:02:20 +0000
    Link: https://seths.blog/2025/04/how-to-win-an-argument-with-a-toddler/

    Seth Godin:

    You can’t.

    That’s because toddlers don’t understand what an argument is and aren’t interesting in having one.

    Toddlers (which includes defensive bureaucrats, bullies, flat earthers, folks committed to a specific agenda and radio talk show hosts) may indicate that they’d like to have an argument[1], but they’re actually engaging in connection, noise, play acting or a chance to earn status. It can be fun to
    be in opposition, to harangue or even to use power to change someone’s position.

    ★ [2]

    Links:
    [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohDB5gbtaEQ (link)
    [2]: https://daringfireball.net/linked/2025/04/14/godin-arguments-with-toddlers (link)

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 15 06:44:58 2025
    On 15 Apr 2025 03:08:27 GMT, Retrograde <fungus@amongus.com.invalid>
    wrote:

    Seth Godin on How to Win an Argument With a Toddler

    You can't.

    That's because toddlers don't understand what an
    argument is and aren't interesting in having one.

    Illiterate ones lack a topic understanding, and those with an ulterior
    motive will 'sing' other tunes, despite knowing more on a topic.

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 15 13:23:15 2025
    On 15 Apr 2025 03:08:27 GMT, Retrograde <fungus@amongus.com.invalid>
    wrote:

    That's because toddlers don't understand what an argument is and aren't >interesting in having one.

    The Cheeto dude had an idea some forty years ago, but is his
    implementation for gaming the system or for Made in USA?

    Mr Cheeto's apparent assumption is those outsourcing can somehow make
    it back to USA quickly. Once done, with US labor costs much higher,
    along with higher infrastructure costs (property taxes, etc., etc),
    these products' prices will soar to higher heights, and this will
    cause a drop in retail sales, along with more store closings.

    So here, if one accepts Mr Cheeto's stated objective, its clear he
    doesn't "understand what an argument is."

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to adhellman1@gmail.com on Tue Apr 15 20:18:47 2025
    On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:14:54 -0400, Auric Hellman
    <adhellman1@gmail.com> wrote:

    When it comes to important matters such as religion, politics, general >morality etc.., is there really anything anyone can say that will have
    you change your opinion? Arguing about such matters is pointless

    "An argument is a disagreement where people present reasons or
    evidence to support their point of view, often with the goal of
    persuading others to agree. A discussion, on the other hand, is a more collaborative exchange of ideas, where the goal is to understand
    different perspectives and reach a common understanding, not
    necessarily to win an argument"

    Firing Line with conservative author and columnist William F. Buckley
    Jr., was discussion/debate orientated.

    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firing_Line_(TV_program)>

    The McLaughlin Group was more discussion

    Arguing about such matters is pointless

    Informed arguments can shift a person's opinon if they are following
    the content presented.

    It is pointless to argue with rednecks-r-us types.

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  • From Retrograde@21:1/5 to JAB on Tue Apr 15 20:36:51 2025
    On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:18:47 -0500
    JAB <here@is.invalid> wrote:

    Informed arguments can shift a person's opinon if they are following
    the content presented.

    It is pointless to argue with rednecks-r-us types.

    Respectfully, the left is full of opinionated numbnuts too. It's just
    hard to argue with a zealot, regardless of which opinion they espouse.

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to fungus@amongus.com.invalid on Tue Apr 15 22:55:19 2025
    On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:36:51 -0600, Retrograde
    <fungus@amongus.com.invalid> wrote:

    It is pointless to argue with rednecks-r-us types.

    Respectfully, the left is full of opinionated numbnuts too.

    Point taken, but redneck mentality is a common thread on both sides. I
    used "types" to qualify....

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to fungus@amongus.com.invalid on Mon Apr 21 09:42:24 2025
    On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:36:51 -0600, Retrograde
    <fungus@amongus.com.invalid> wrote:

    It is pointless to argue with rednecks-r-us types.

    Respectfully

    But wait, wasn't Mao hard left while America has been taken over by
    the hard right? Well, why do you think there's a big difference
    between the two? I'm a believer in horseshoe theory, which says that
    the extreme left and the extreme right are more like each other than
    either is like the political center. For example, among Britain's
    unions there is a hard-left faction that has no counterpart in the
    United States. Some of its positions, notably making apologies for
    Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, look a lot like MAGA.
    ...
    ...
    Once you've seen the parallel between what MAGA is trying to do and
    China's Cultural Revolution, the similarities are everywhere. Maoists
    sent schoolteachers to do farm labor; Trumpists are talking about
    putting civil servants to work in factories.

    The Cultural Revolution was, of course, a huge disaster for China. It
    inflicted vast suffering on its targets and also devastated the
    economy. But the Maoists didn't care. Revenge was their priority,
    never mind the effects on GDP.

    Paul Krugman
    Apr 21

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