The Pointlessness of Debating with a Bad Faith Debater

Have you ever tried to have a rational discussion with someone who refuses to listen to any evidence or arguments that contradict their beliefs? If so, you know how frustrating and pointless it can be to debate with a bad faith debater. A bad faith debater is someone who does not care about finding the truth or understanding the other side, but only about winning the argument or defending their ego. They will use logical fallacies, personal attacks, straw man arguments, and other dishonest tactics to avoid admitting they are wrong or changing their mind. In this article, we will explore why debating with a bad faith debater is a waste of time and energy, and what you can do instead to have more productive and respectful conversations.

Debating with someone who is arguing in bad faith can be an exercise in frustration. This is especially true when the person you are arguing with is unwilling to listen to new ideas or information because they believe they already have their mind made up. In situations like these, it can be difficult to know what to do, but engaging with someone who is not open to new perspectives can ultimately be a fruitless endeavor.

When someone is arguing in bad faith, their goal is not to have a productive conversation or to arrive at a shared understanding. Instead, they are trying to score points or prove their point of view without regard for the facts or the other person’s perspective. This makes it nearly impossible to have a constructive debate, as the other person is not interested in learning or considering new information.

Furthermore, engaging with a bad faith debater can be emotionally taxing and can drain your energy. It can be disheartening to have a conversation with someone who seems unwilling to listen or consider alternative viewpoints, especially if you feel passionately about the topic being discussed. In situations like these, it is often best to disengage and focus your energy on more productive endeavors.

In today’s society where everything is a competition, at least here in the “Western world”, not engaging with these people is often viewed as “You won’t because you can’t… Looser!” Even when you point out that you can tell someone that the sky is blue, you have evidence, but if they don’t wish to acknowledge that, they won’t… and in their stable genius intellect they think this makes them “great”. It’s pointless. “A battle unfought cannot be lost”.

If debating is your thing, and having to remind people that a raised voice doesn’t make arguments any more valid, then more power to you. Me… life is too short for that sort of thing.