# How convincingly do you think you could write as someone who believes the opposite of you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796 "2018-06-26T20:35:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/1 "2018-06-26T20:35:59Z")
Ethically, politically, whatever - and as an actual “reasonable” person (interpret that as you will), not a straw man fanatic (even though those who believe that way do exist; it’s just too easy for the purposes of this question). I’ve considered it as a blog concept (guess what my beliefs really are!), but figured that it might cozy up a bit to trolling when it comes to the opposing viewpoint. But the idea did stick - thus this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/2 "2018-06-26T20:37:42Z")
Fairly easily. The only real way to know your point is to know what the other side thinks. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/3 "2018-06-26T21:09:02Z")
Understanding and asserting that person’s views is easy. Having my own contrary views means that I have understood and rejected theirs. Writing in anyone else’s style is very difficult for me, so if it’s some particular person I am supposed to simulate or parody, I will likely fail. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/4 "2018-06-26T21:20:48Z")
[Judge for yourself](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748926) ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/5 "2018-06-26T21:31:22Z")
My initial guess is: probably better than most of them could write as someone who believes the same as me. However, I’m curious what you mean by “convincingly”? For example, if it were not against the rules, I could probably create another account and post regularly on these forums as if I were a reasonable liberal and not be found out as a secret conservative for a long, long time. OTOH, I doubt that these numerous postings would “convince” any of the handful of conservatives here to change their position to adopt my falsified views. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/6 "2018-06-26T21:39:23Z")
Politically I’d have some issues. i generally understand the political opposition, but I understand the worst aspects of it. Understanding the fact that a lot of people have a lot of gray areas would be something I struggle with. But on most other issues I’m pretty good at it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/7 "2018-06-26T21:40:09Z")
To write something as a one-off? Sure, no problem. To make it a long-term online persona? Would eventually trip up (or hate myself and then blow up at all my “fans”.) ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/8 "2018-06-26T22:07:02Z")
So back when I was a teenager and discovered Satanism, I was not in a safe place to reject Christianity. So I kept my mouth shut and pretended to be a good christian kid until I could get out of my parents house. This included pretending to be enthusiastic over spending two months in the middle of nowhere attending a extremely faith based summer camp. (I think it was also supposed to “man” me up, but I ended up meeting my first boyfriend there and fell in love for the first time, so … yeah.) At the end of that camp, we were required to do a written two page letter on how great god was and how he had been a positive influence on our life, that sorta thing. The winner would win a hand-drawn chalk drawing from the head honcho, who I will admit was an amazing artist. Out of roughly 100 kids, I won that drawing. (It’s still hanging in my ex-wife’s house.) For the rest of the day, I had multiple camp counselors congratulating me and telling me how powerfully written it was. I didn’t have the heart to tell any of them that I didn’t believe a word of it and I had made the whole thing up. So this Satanist thinks he can play a fairly good devil’s advocate. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/9 "2018-06-26T22:12:19Z")
I could do a pretty good job of it, if I wanted to. The latter bit would be the hard part. One time several years ago, for April Fool’s Day, Sean Hannity did a bit on his radio program where he announced that he had become a Democrat. It was hilarious. The sad part was that he gave better arguments for the Democratic positions than actual Democrats do. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/10 "2018-06-26T22:17:36Z")
I’ve been doing it successfully for years on the Dope. :eek:😃 ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/11 "2018-06-26T22:18:27Z")
Not hard. Around 2/3 or more of friends and family hold views opposite of mine. So I think I could do it quite convincingly. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/12 "2018-06-27T03:48:28Z")
I usually let my genius younger sister make my arguments, which she doesn’t agree with. I make her arguments, that I don’t agree with. Our younger brother is smarter than both of us, but all he ever does is play war-games. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/13 "2018-06-27T04:20:47Z")
Terribly; I’ve never been good at that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/14 "2018-06-27T05:29:13Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > I usually let my genius younger sister make my arguments, which she doesn’t agree with. I make her arguments, that I don’t agree with. Our younger brother is smarter than both of us, but all he ever does is play war-games. Is this an Ender’s Game reference? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/15 "2018-06-27T05:33:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Is this an Ender’s Game reference? Yes ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/16 "2018-06-27T06:52:02Z")
Nobody who believes the opposite of what I do can write it convincingly. If they could, I would no longer believe what I do. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/17 "2018-06-27T07:04:41Z")
Very easily. I’ve been paid to do this (and turned down a lot of money for things I just wouldn’t do) and it was a pretty standard part of basic education in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/18 "2018-06-27T13:23:28Z")
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle _(now someone will come along and tell me he never actually said it)_ I think I’d do a respectable job of arguing a position I don’t hold, there aren’t that many subjects I’m not able to see and understand both sides of the argument in the first place and I do make a conscious effort to find out different aspects of a subject. I’ve had to remove several books from my public bookshelf because explaining is just too much hassle, ‘The Rape of Nanking’ by Iris Chan for one after an acquaintance got bent out of shape about the title. “Yes I do have several books about Nazi Germany, no I don’t agree with the tenants of National Socialism…” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/19 "2018-06-27T15:12:33Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > I usually let my genius younger sister make my arguments, which she doesn’t agree with. I make her arguments, that I don’t agree with. Our younger brother is smarter than both of us, but all he ever does is play war-games. Possibly the dumbest plot contrivance in all of science fiction, imho. Also: [xkcd: Locke and Demosthenes](https://xkcd.com/635/) ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convincingly-do-you-think-you-could-write-as-someone-who-believes-the-opposite-of-you/816796/20 "2018-06-27T16:09:12Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Possibly the dumbest plot contrivance in all of science fiction, imho. > > Also: [xkcd: Locke and Demosthenes](https://xkcd.com/635/) One of my favorite xkcd comics. I’m just happy a made reference that people got.