How To Talk To A Contrarian (Without Getting Into A Fight)

The first rule of conversing with a contrarian is learning why they are the way they are.

For most of us, being countered in an opposing way leads to us getting our hackles up or even shutting down. But often, the contrarian person might just want to harmlessly engage in conversation or better understand you.

• The competitor contrarian may just be naturally competitive. Others might be working out past hurts in their interactions with you or they might actually be invested in one-upping you.
• Gadfly contrarians. At their best, this person will bring up interesting counterpoints, forcing you to go just a little deeper than you otherwise would.
• The left brain contrarian operates primarily from their logical brain. They don't mean to turn a casual chat in a debate, but their observant nature does.