I’m in total agreement. It is a hard sell, and it may be impossible for someone who values intellectual achievement over emotional manipulation to change tactics so dramatically (myself included). I think someone has to learn to do it though. It’s hard to successfully use a rapier, no matter how masterful you are, against a biochemical weapon. The rules of this conflict are different.
Making objective, factual arguments works well if you are trying to discern, or convey, the truth about the world. Trump is not concerned with truth at all. It isn’t even on his radar screen. And his followers are fine with that. I am aghast at how you can point out Trump’s lies to them, and they simply laugh it off. They really don’t care. Trump’s goals have nothing to do with truth. They have to do with power and control, and the satisfaction he gets from manipulating people. Debating about what is true, is tilting at windmills. There is no one arguing back. They are on the playground beating up another nerd.
Here’s another relevant point. I believe some experiments have shown that using facts and logic to try to convert someone with a strongly opposing viewpoint rarely works. In fact it may be counterproductive. Their ego hears “this person is telling me I’m wrong, and I need to defend myself” resulting in their stiffening their resolve. A more effective means to convert someone to your point of view is to not debate them at all. Simply be friendly, charming, non-confrontational, and vulnerable. Don’t even talk about facts. They will stop being defensive, and start to feel empathetic. That builds bridges, and changes minds.
