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Good Faith vs. Bad Faith Argument

Fair enough.

But I would point out that it was more of a general sketch of what good-faith and bad-faith arguments look like, not a comprehensive account of these things.

Still, you raise an important point: Some people take an honest critique as a personal attack, others pretend to feel that way in order to deflect. The challenge is discerning whether you are dealing with someone who is genuinely hurt or someone trying to avoid the issue—two very different dynamics. Easier said than done.




I have experienced that too. The harder you work to clarify, the more entrenched the other person becomes. In those cases, I dust off my hands and let the readers draw their own conclusions—and sometimes even saying so, in order to signal that my part in the exchange is finished. There are times when the wisest move is to step back, let the heat dissipate, and trust that the truth is clear enough for others without endless restatement, even if your interlocutor continues to resist.

Also, I heard a piece of wisdom once that's always stuck with me: "It is better to understand than to be understood."
For me, it's, "The harder you work to clarify, the more their eyes glaze over".

"The more the words, the less the meaning." —from Eccl 6:11
 
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