Man Who Plays Devil's Advocate Really Just Wants To Be Asshole.

[HughBeaumont]

COLUMBUS, MO—Though area graphic designer Derek Sills says he plays devil's advocate to help his friends better understand opinions different from their own, sources close to Sills claim he takes on the dissenting role merely to be an asshole. "Now, I don't actually believe this or anything but, for the sake of argument, let's say your girlfriend is just dating you for your money," Sills said at a party last Saturday, after asking a group of friends to consider that the telephone may have been a "stupid invention." "Just playing devil's advocate here, guys, but perhaps slavery is the reason African Americans are so successful in sports these days." According to sources, Sills "crossed the line" when he asked if their friend Jamie's mother might have deserved to die.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/man-who-plays-devils-advocate-really-just-wants-to,5622/

[Populist_Prole]

1. I love 'The Onion' Fantastic piece. I've suffered through people just like that

The worst part is when you've known a certain person for a long time, and when they pull the devil's advocate bit, you KNOW even they don't believe what they're saying and that they're just being contrary dicks.

[lunatica]

2. In my experience people who play Devil's Advocate

Are much more interested in how to trip everyone up than in listening to what anyone says. They're convinced they're mental prowess is superior to anyone else's. They're basically pretending to take the other side, when in reality they're just playing games.

[Iggo]

4. Of course you're probably right...

...but let's say, for the sake of argument, that you're wrong...

[3waygeek]

3. But it's such a great game...

[felix_numinous]

5. Truth in humor

some people really do love to make other people miserable--they dig it. Love to manipulate. Trolls.

[HughBeaumont]

6. It explains a lot of the GD trollsters, for sure . . .