Difficult to convince
It can feel impossible to persuade someone with strong views. This is in part because we look for information to confirm what we already know and avoid or dismiss facts that are opposed to our core beliefs.
However, it is not impossible to sway someone.Â
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We all tend to overrate the power of arguments we find convincing, and wrongly think the other side will be converted. It is pointless to argue a point that your opponents have already dismissed.
The answer is not to simply expose people to another point of view. Find out what resonates with them. Frame your message with buzzwords that reflect their values.
To try and sway the other side, use their morals against them. People have stable morals that influence their worldview.Â
However, reframing in terms of values might not turn your opponent's view, but can soften his stance and get him to listen to counterarguments.
Your ideological opponents want to feel like they've been heard. The key is to let the opposition do most of the talking.
People learn lessons better when they come to the conclusion themselves. Listen to people, get them to think about their own experience, and highlight your common humanity. Letting them talk opens the door to reducing prejudice and changing opinions.
RELATED IDEAS
- People think emotionally, so forget facts.Â
- When people are asked to explain their beliefs about how a given thing works, theyâll actually become less confident in those beliefs.
- When people have their self-worth validated in some way, they tend to be more receptive to information that challenges their beliefs.
- During a debate, youâre more likely to make progress if you can appeal to the moral concerns of the people that youâre talking with.
Instead of challenging someone's existing belief, which always leads to resistance, it is much better to connect your own position to their beliefs.
Analogies are arguments that operate unnoticed. Like icebergs, they conceal most of their mass and power beneath the surface.
Analogies are also used in innovation and decision making. For instance, the "bicycle for the mindâ that Steve Jobs envisioned as a Macintosh computer.