I’m lucky that when it comes to arguments I’m pretty good. I have a competitive streak that skews the flight/fight response to all out war when it comes to a discussion or disagreement that means I go straight for what I want to say right away.
The occasions when I have regrets about things not said are so rare that I don’t even recall if there are any. It’s like asking me to talk about a time I was wrong. It just doesn’t happen. Being a big believer in attack being the best form of defence the idea of a perfect comeback suggests that you were not winning the battle.
Attack
It seems I am blessed with a brain that makes connections between topics very quickly, and in a way that is more instinct then premeditated, so when in an argument I can tie up many different threads and take as many tangents as I need to get my point across. I will throw in fallacies and logic statements that disorientate my opponent making them take positions that are indefensible. I would give examples but I wouldn’t like anyone to think this post is about them.
Throw in some good old British passive-aggressiveness (the verbal rope-a-dope), and a fast scatter-gun delivery technique, and it’s a pretty potent argument technique. This is a style honed for victory and tends to take no prisoners as often I cannot even remember what I am saying. I’ve warned Mrs V to not try to engage me when in a bad mood because I’m never trying to get my point across I’m trying to tell you why you are wrong.
I think it comes from working as a data analyst, you quickly learn to be able to connect disparate pieces of information to use as in an argument. Needed to think of a perfect comeback means that you missed something out in the first place so you have to front load the discussion to make sure there is no right of reply.
One reply on “The fight response”
Well said, to you my best wishes. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person