# When do you feel you've WON an argument? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 24, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255 "2003-02-24T21:48:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/41 "2003-03-24T21:29:10Z")
The first time my opponent mentions the word “Hitler,” “Nazi,” or “fascist” (when debating something a topic other than Germany in the 1930s or 1940s). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/42 "2003-03-24T21:30:42Z")
either “something” OR “a topic”–your choice. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/43 "2003-03-24T21:45:53Z")
SentientMeat and others: true, winning is not the point Some of the things I try to learn in a debate are: 1. Where do we agree and disagree (this is not always as obvious as it may seem on the surface) 2. Which points can we agree are facts 3. Which points are opinions that can be explored in detail, which usually provides insight into bias, point of view, goal, etc. ---
**Author:** ![GOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@GOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GOM)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/44 "2003-03-26T17:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mtgman \* > \*\*No one ever wins an arguement. \*\* I believe you are attempting to start an argument. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mozart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mozart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozart)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/45 "2003-03-28T14:02:56Z")
Lets get real here! You know you have won a arguement when your adversary turns over all his belonging, including his women, to you. He then drinks rat poison to prove how sorry he is to have argued with you in the first place. People know I demand this in writting before I enter into a discussion and NO ONE ever wants to argue with me. Course…I don’t really KNOW anyone…as I don’t seem to have any friends…sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/46 "2003-03-28T15:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _If you trully win an argument, then it is no longer an argument._ - me. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/47 "2003-03-28T15:56:51Z")
I _feel_ I’ve won when Lekatt enters the argument, and I _know_ I’ve won when he stops. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/48 "2003-03-28T17:22:25Z")
When my opponent is backed into a corner, where he has no choice but to concede, contradict himself, make an argument that has already been refuted, or quit. ---
**Author:** ![regurgit8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@regurgit8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regurgit8)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/49 "2003-03-28T18:20:36Z")
Used to be that when the other person stopped contradicting me and just remained silent while I was still rambling on, I’d won. Or so I thought. But, alas, this can be a tragic misconception. Sometimes it just means the other person is tired of the bickering, has given up on the ongoing argument, and decides to be the bigger person. I think one mistake people make is flattering themselves by interpreting another person’s silence as automatic agreement. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/50 "2003-03-28T18:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters. Now that’s winning an argument! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@GOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GOM)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/51 "2003-03-29T15:51:14Z")
You’ve confused war with argument… They’re not quite synonyms. Yet. HTH ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/52 "2003-03-29T17:03:19Z")
Hey as one trained somewhat in logic, I know what an argument is… but if the other guy makes it a war, then it’s perfectly fair for me to claim what it mine by right of conquest after. The Pringles… the Pringles are **all mine**! Bwahaha!! ---
**Author:** ![GOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@GOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GOM)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255/53 "2003-03-31T16:37:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by begbert2 \* > \*\* > > The Pringles… the Pringles are **all mine**! Bwahaha!! \*\* Huh? Pringles? Must be an Idaho thing… 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-feel-youve-won-an-argument/157255.md?page=2)