Do you ever read facts/perspectives on the DU that allow you to dominate conversations in real life?

[pipi_k]

10. Like a couple

of others here, I'm not getting the whole "dominate a conversation" thing.

What does that mean, exactly?

Lecturing one other person we're talking at (not to, and not with...AT)?

And for what purpose? To look smarter than him/her?

To change that person's mind?

I'm not sure trying to prove someone else is wrong is going to change that person's mind. In fact, it could have the opposite effect...it could cause that person to dig his heels in even harder and hold on even more to his opinion.

And I speak from personal experience on that one after being lectured to by uber-religious friends who tried to change my Agnostic mind on the subject of God and religion. The near-fanaticism...the attitude of "this is right and everything else is wrong" turned me off. Totally and completely. Now I lean more toward Atheism. My friends' efforts were wasted.

Now I'll tell how my opinions on some things were changed. Not by people talking AT me, but by reading conversations between others here...the pros and cons...the black and white... When I see or hear others discussing an issue, I get both sides, and sometimes my mind gets changed by what I see or hear.

In any event, I'm not the kind who wants to dominate any conversation. In fact, I don't even mind if someone disagrees with me if, in the end, that person can acknowledge that my point might be just as valid as theirs is.