PDF | Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs – Download

Now we get to the bottom of it. Because the salesman understood what Mom wanted, he had no need to know what Dad wanted. He knew Mom needed to feel a connection with a person, such as a well-spoken, polite salesman who seemed to understand her. They connected because he made her feel as if the two were Father’s Day collaborators, sharing the same interest. My guess is, Dad was forgotten for a while. Eventually, I imagine the salesman delivering the classic line “I have just the thing.” He seemed to sympathize with her needs, and he knew how to meet them. So how do you detect when this happens to you?

Here’s a secret that applies to all kinds of rhetorical defense: Look for the disconnects. You already saw how logical short circuits can help you spot fallacies. When somebody tries to manipulate Argument Tool you through disinterest, look for a short circuit be- THE DISINTEREST DISCONNECT: Is there a gap between tween his needs and yours; or if you’re buying a gift, your needs and the recipient’s. There was a three-way your interests and disconnect over the pool table: what Mom wanted and the persuader’s? Then don’t trust what Dad wanted were very different, and what the without verifying. salesman wanted differed from what Mom and Dad each wanted