Being Persuasive: Tips to Help You Convince Others That You Are Right

[MineralMan]

1. Calling someone an "idiot" or some other name, will not help you change that person's mind. Instead, it will make them think you are the enemy and they will ignore everything you say after that.

2. Misspelling or changing someone's name to mock that person will not convince anyone that your view of that person is correct. Instead, it will convince others that you are illiterate or have malice toward that person. For example John Roberts is the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. If you deliberately misspell his name as Robberts, you might think that is a clever insult. It is not. He still holds that high position, and you do not. The misspelling simply makes your statement look ignorant or malicious, so the person reading it disregards what you have to say.

3. If you are trying to counteract misinformation another person believes to be true, it is far better to supply well-sourced correct information than to imply that the person is too stupid to know the truth. Misinformation must be countered with correct information, or you will not change someone else's mind. See point #1.

4. Consider whether people you are trying to convince will see your argument. If not, it will have no effect on them, regardless of how good it makes you feel to write it. It is better to make your argument where people you want to influence will see it, and make it simply, not antagonistically, and clearly, without negative associations. At least, that way you have some chance of having an influence. If you are preaching to the choir, you might get good feedback from the choir, but nobody else will hear you.

5. It's best not to make enemies of your allies. People who agree with you in principle are not the people whose minds you need to change. Instead, target people whose core ideas you want to influence. Arguing with allies is non-productive.