Hi All. Long time no see.
Every opinion has an opposing one. This is a fact of life and it is why people argue so much over their opinions. Because opinions are not facts, but are realities for ourselves that may or may not be shared by other people.
This post is going to primarily focus on changing someone's mind politically when it comes to a particular ideology, but it can be applied to other things as well.
So without further ado, here are 5 ways to potentially change someone's mind politically.
Part 1: Why are you posting about it?
A common trend nowadays is to debate on political issues through Twitter. And on the surface, there is really nothing wrong with doing this, people want to express their opinions and Twitter allows them to have a platform. However, it seems like these days, people become so obsessed with trying to score political points by saying the same mantra over and over again. Believe me, it's not an uncommon thing to see people who have nothing better to do with their time giving their 50th reply to one of Donald Trump's tweets, or any other political figure's tweets. It isn't just a left or right thing, it happens all over the political spectrum. I'm using Donald Trump as a main example here because he is not really widely liked by people. However, that does not mean that I necessarily endorse him or support him.
When posting your 51st reply to a political candidate, a good question to ask is why. Are you posting your comments to get political points and Twitter likes/retweets? Or are you actually trying to change people's minds and make them think in a different way than they were before? If your goal is Twitter attention, then do your thing. But if you actually want to convince people, then you are going to need to present your snarky pretentious tweets better.
Part 2: Avoid ad hominems (personal attacks)
The absolute worst way to convince someone of your argument is to directly insult them or their beliefs, or call them stupid. I see this happen often on both sides of the political spectrum, with people calling each other 'racist', 'sexist', 'SJWs' 'snowflakes', etc.
Here is why it simply doesn't work.
A lot of people's political beliefs make up who they are. This means that insulting their politics is insulting them, and who wants to have a reasonable discussion with people who insult you? Think logically for a second and try to remember if someone outwardly mocking your beliefs made you suddenly change your mind about those beliefs. I think most likely that it didn't change anything.
The ad hominem thing also applies to the political stances that they support. For example, telling a diehard Trump supporter that 'Trump is stupid' is not going to work, because you have already proven to them that you aren't coming into a debate with an open mind to their point of view. Actually, speaking of their point of view...
Part 3: Try to understand their point of view
I understand that it can be really difficult to relate to someone who is on the opposite side of the political spectrum. Believe me, I get it. Nonetheless, it is really important to try. There's an old proverb that says, "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Use this in your conversations or debates with people that you disagree with. Find common ground, try to understand where they are coming from, and also be open to also having your mind changed! Maybe when they explain their side, it actually might convince you.
There is no negative to being nice in a political discussion. There are two possible outcomes when having a nice, peaceful political debate. Either:
- They don't change their minds and don't listen to your side. In this case, you can say that you tried, and at least you were able to be civil and not be rude or obnoxious.
- They actually change their minds a bit, or even a lot, which is great news! You now have given them the opportunity to rethink their positions and become more acquainted with their values and ideals.
Part 4: When providing evidence, make sure to be careful
Try to avoid using news sources that have track records of lying or fake news. I know that the phrase 'fake news' is kind of overplayed and cliche at this point, but try to remember that many people do not trust far right or far left sources. Look for more independent sources, unbiased sources, links to speeches or legislation, etc. If that is not possible, try to find a left wing and right wing source that agree upon the same conclusion.
Many do not trust the news, so showing a right wing person a far left source as evidence is like showing an atheist the bible and telling them that God is real. It doesn't work.
Part 5: Accept criticism of your own side
If the person that you are debating brings up a good point about your own side that you know is correct, make sure to acknowledge it. Do not brush it off as false, or pretend it didn't happen. This is dismissive behaviour, and the other person in the debate will be more closed off to listening to your points and having their mind changed. Accept criticism of your own side if you know it's good criticism. If you are unaware of what they are talking about, research it for yourself, or tell them that you are not familiar with the issue in question. Do not blindly defend your side, this makes the opponent less likely to take you seriously, and you may be arguing for things that you actually do not agree with.
Conclusion
There are two ways to approach an issue like politics.
The first is to be petty, be childish, throw mini temper tantrums and call anyone who thinks differently from you a name that most likely won't represent their true beliefs. This method is good if you want to score Twitter attention and gain political points from people who already agree with you.
The second way is to debate with an open mind, find common ground, and understand their point of view. This method is good if you actually want to make a difference to someone's beliefs, and potentially change their mind.
But at the end of the day, the method you use is your choice. Choose wisely.