Why Do We Argue?

Other than the fact it's fun... 

I was sitting here pondering of a lifetime of debates/arguments I have had or observed.  On-line, family, political, with friends, with strangers, and can't really recall changing minds/opinions (or having mine changed).

Yeah, if it's an argument over a fact, and you can get proof, that's one thing.  But if it's based on opinion, do you REALLY change (or change someone else)?

I can't imagine anyone with strong stance on race, guns, gay rites, politics, etc are going to change their mind in an argument.  I'm sure you won't can't even get someone to change their mind in an argument between pizza and burgers, beer brand, or chevy vs ford, trains vs planes.  In almost every instance, people walk away after the exchange, and nothing REALLY changes.  Agree to disagree or just get tired.

Can you think of more than a rare occurrence where you have "won" an argument and change someone's beliefs?

So why do we (as a people) do it?  Just part of being a social species?  Community?  Exchanging information?  Or is it ego driven?  The need to be "right" or superior?

It's obviously important or almost natural to do so since it's so common - and it can be a good thing especially if you are an onlooker and can glean some knowledge from it.  Shoot, it would be a pretty boring world if everyone REALLY just politely let people believe what they want and never debate.

So, feel free to disagree and let the argument begin!

Other than the fact it's fun... 

I was sitting here pondering of a lifetime of debates/arguments I have had or observed.  On-line, family, political, with friends, with strangers, and can't really recall changing minds/opinions (or having mine changed).

Yeah, if it's an argument over a fact, and you can get proof, that's one thing.  But if it's based on opinion, do you REALLY change (or change someone else)?

I can't imagine anyone with strong stance on race, guns, gay rites, politics, etc are going to change their mind in an argument.  I'm sure you won't can't even get someone to change their mind in an argument between pizza and burgers, beer brand, or chevy vs ford, trains vs planes.  In almost every instance, people walk away after the exchange, and nothing REALLY changes.  Agree to disagree or just get tired.

Can you think of more than a rare occurrence where you have "won" an argument and change someone's beliefs?

So why do we (as a people) do it?  Just part of being a social species?  Community?  Exchanging information?  Or is it ego driven?  The need to be "right" or superior?

It's obviously important or almost natural to do so since it's so common - and it can be a good thing especially if you are an onlooker and can glean some knowledge from it.  Shoot, it would be a pretty boring world if everyone REALLY just politely let people believe what they want and never debate.

So, feel free to disagree and let the argument begin!

I think the benefit of arguing is to test ideas and to see if our thoughts are fully developed.  Ideas have a sort of Darwinian survival of the fittest in the communal mind.  In these discussions, the person being swayed is probably not the two engaged in debate but the bystanders who may be less informed and act as a sort of informal jury to the discussion.  The better idea is adopted by the bystanders and is thus propagated.

In online forums, I see another motivation to rise consistently in support of a particular political point of view as a way of demonstrating numerical superiority to the opposing point of view.  These discussions endure beyond the point that any new information is revealed or any bystanders exist. The point is not to sway anyone but to convince the other viewpoint that they are outnumbered and defeated.

We have these motivations argue at a very low level of rational stimulation.  We see or hear arguments counter to our own and speak out without ever thinking if there is a useful point to be made with our listeners.  I do anyway.

I think the answer lies partially in the fact we are emotional creatures that want others to share thier beliefs.  unfortnately we process quickly through discussion, debate, argue .... all the way to pointless namecalling. 

I do believe that people could change their position on a topic more often (not always) if we could keep things at the discussion / debate level and keep emotions in check or ideally out of it.

I think there is a diference between argument and discourse/discussion. Discussion often leads to better perspective of others opinions. Arguments just make me turn away. For me there is very little reason to argue. I figure that if someone feels so very strongly about something, to the point of argument, then I have little chance of changing their opinion.  

What do you mean "resort"?

Don't you just lead off with name calling? 

What do you mean "resort"?

Don't you just lead off with name calling?