What’s the point of having ideas and philosophies if we can’t share them? We are, after all, equipped with mouths to speak with and ears for hearing. Ideas are vital to our existence. Some ideas live on for thousands of years, others die a quick death, and some ideas are exiled; too stubborn to die quietly, waiting for the right person to rescue and revive them. Liberty is such an idea.
If you are reading this, you most likely have already embraced the ideas of liberty. But how do we share libertarianism? It is not always easy. Heck, to be honest, it is rarely easy! Nevertheless, it is worth it, and I submit that maybe it could be easier if we consider a few possible changes in our approach.
NEVER TRY AND WIN AN ARGUMENT:
Here I am not using argument in the pejorative sense. Rather, I am suggesting that we have meaningful conversations with others. Conversations, unlike heated debates, don’t have time limits, don’t have winners and losers, and benefit both parties. If someone suspects you are simply just trying to “win” an argument, they will be playing defense the entire time your mouth is moving. They will not be actively listening to your idea, they will be waiting patiently to talk; there’s a huge difference between the two postures. No one wants to be a “loser,” and with every fiber of our being, we will go to great lengths to avoid the sting of defeat. Besides, when you think you’ve won an argument, a false closure occurs, as in a sporting event coming to an end. Frankly, we ought to calmly pause a conversation, with the ability to resume it in the future at the appropriate time.
PROVE THE OTHER PERSON RIGHT:
Really want to disarm someone during a conversation? Keep agreeing with them! Sincerely agree with them. Acknowledge the things they are saying, and grant them the affirmation they are seeking. If someone says, “We need taxes to take care of the disadvantaged,” respond with, “I couldn’t agree more that disadvantaged people deserve our attention.” Then give a moral and rational explanation of how we could apply libertarian principles to help the disadvantaged. Let them know you care about the poor just as much as they do, and introduce them to a philosophy that would accomplish THEIR goals in a just and efficient way, minus the State.
TALK WITH MODESTY, LISTEN WITH GRACE:
Refrain from talking down to the other person. From early childhood on, this is something we are hardwired to spot, and NOBODY likes it! Apply the Non-Aggression Principle even in your speech. Treat the other person as your equal, not as an imbecile, or an enemy. Value them as a potential torchbearer for liberty, and admire the qualities in them that are making the conversation, the transition, “hard.” These same qualities will make for a staunch ally in the future, if we can show grace in the present.
With humility in mind, remember…remember you were once that person who condoned State “solutions,” and were in need of the freeing ideas that libertarianism explained. Be the person who you would’ve wanted to expertly guide you prior to your own transformation.
This article “Stop Winning Arguments” is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Matthew Cornforth and emancipatedhuman.com.
