Are you a "right fighter"?

I am well versed in seeing other people’s opinions. I do respect them and I don’t have to “be right” all the time in arguments, then again I don’t see a discussion as something requiring a victor and a loser. If someone walks away from a discussion with me feeling belittled, I would feel awful, not good at all.

I had an acquaintance who was like your friend. Eventually I got so fed up with her stupid behaviour that I called her out on it and stopped talking to her. Many of my other friends did so too, seemingly not realizing that not entertaining or engaging her was an option.

It depends. If I view the topic as a matter of fact then I might be able to see their view, but I’m still right. If I view the topic as a matter of opinion, then I can generally see their point of view. If I enjoy arguing about it, I will and if I don’t, I won’t. I try not to have the other person walking away feeling battered or belittled because then no one wins.

Right from the get go, I will always prefer a healthy debate over a potential or actual argument because I think the latter of the two tends to be unproductive. I’ve always been blessed with a lot of patience and I think it is both courteous and important to a discussion if you listen to someone else’s views because the input from the other party could be significant even it doesn’t completely match your views.

I certainly don’t feel like I have to be right each and every time and if someone corrects me on something I’m clearly wrong about, I believe I can accept that graciously. If the other person walks away feeling battered and belittled, it’s because I let my emotions get the best of me and I wasn’t very nice or mature in how I conducted myself. I very rarely let this occur because there’s no sense or gain in it and it is just plain mean.

If I can have a debate with someone where I’m not the winner and there is no residual hard feelings about anything, I can interpret that as an empty victory but a victory nonetheless for me because I shared a meaningful exchange of thoughts and opinions and I might very well be the better for it.

I usually only get into debates about subjects I feel very strongly about and have an interest in convincing other people that I’m “right.” But realistically, that’s not really my goal, especially on the internet. I don’t think people usually change their minds because of debates or arguments.

I do think it’s important to have debates and arguments, though, because they are some of the best ways to exchange ideas and force you to think hard about why you believe what you believe. Even if nobody changes their mind in the debate, I think a good debate makes everyone come out a little wiser—possibly more enlightened about what they belief, possibly with new doubts about what they believe. But it’s better than just blithely believing whatever with your head buried in the sand.

Also, I reject the false choice between “being right” and “seeing the other’s point of view.” As EP said, they aren’t mutually exclusive. You can see someone else’s point of view, understand it, and still think it’s wrong—and still argue to them that it’s wrong.

I am usually the one who is trying to get people to see the opposing view and both sides end up thinking I’m against them. Damn that Jr. High debate class!

No – not always. I have gone rounds with someone when I think they are being so stubborn, they refuse to see any other side of things. Those people completely infuriate me. I try to avoid the endless argument. If someone is that narrow minded about things, it will never change – there is really no point in continuing the argument (or debate).

I do try to see the other person’s point of view, I may not always agree with the person, but I do try. I’ve met people that just have to be right, all the time and they will belittle and bully people until the end. It’s completely childish, IMO.

Not at all. I am willing to express my side twice and listen to the other person’s position twice. If that does not work then I will drop it. Only a fool argues with a fool.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it…
Aristotle

I always try to look at it from other points of view (even if sometimes on Fluther I get ahead of myself and type faster than I think…). But even when I do that, I usually go back and think about it again. I think there are very few instances where one person is totally right and another is totally wrong. It would be very audacious of me to believe I am completely right about something all the time.