Are family arguments driving you bonkers? Are you tired of the political shouting that has plagued 2016? Have you resolved to sound smarter in the new year? Here’s a fun tip: play the role of devil’s advocate.
Say two family members are fighting. We’ll call them Hank and Pat. Hank says "Rogue One" was better than all the other Star Wars prequels combined, while Pat argues that comparing the films is like comparing apples and oranges. After a few heated words and the occasional insult are batted around, they look to you, the only one in the room, for your input on the subject.
Now, you have two options: take a side and risk insulting someone, or complain of stomach cramps and flee to the bathroom. But running away is boring, so thankfully you have a fun third choice: argue against both Hank and Pat and watch them each turn their frustrations toward you. Tell Pat that apples and oranges are actually both fruits of similar size, which allows for comparison, but the context in which he used the phrase implies that the films are too dissimilar to compare. Tell Hank that episodes one through three are much better if you view them separately from their predecessors and that part of what makes “Rogue One” so enjoyable is that it ties in well with the original trilogy and appeals to our desire for nostalgia, so despite her preference for the older films she (Hank is short for Henrietta. Didn’t see that coming, did you?) should view each movie independently to see whether it stacks up.
You can sit back and smile as the debate continues because you’ve done your part in the fight against poor argumentation.
The devil’s advocate role is an important one in all debates. With the end of the election cycle only two months past, we’re all quite familiar with how important discussions usually go. Everyone takes a side and puts up their dukes preparing for a brawl, and no one wants to back down. When one side makes a point, rather than considering it, the other side simply gets louder and vice versa until the “debate” is reduced to a shouting match of nonsense, and the same is true for most arguments and discussions that start out civil.
Back in the day, Devil’s Advocate (advocatus diaboli) was an official position in the Catholic church, and its holder would present points against canonization or beatification. Now, the term simply refers to one who argues against a point, regardless of his or her position on the topic. In other words, the devil’s advocate keeps debaters in check, looking for weaknesses in arguments and poking holes if necessary.
I think we can all agree most arguments today could use someone to point out flaws on both sides.
I once had a philosophy professor that talked a lot about religion and creationism. It was clear he believed in evolution, but he presented intelligent design, the different versions of creationism, and evolution fairly but critically. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned from him was that it doesn’t matter what you believe if you can’t back it up. He didn’t want to sway anyone’s beliefs; he simply wanted to strengthen them by giving his students a reason to provide substantial evidence.
See, an argument is like lemonade. Strong, flavorful lemonade is great, like a strong argument. And if you really don’t have an opinion, that’s like water, and that’s just fine, too. But you don’t want to be somewhere in the middle. Just like watered-down lemonade (or any flavored liquid, for that matter) is about the worst thing you can drink, a weak argument is never desirable. It’s better to abstain from a debate than to go in without good support. So add a little more lemon juice and maybe a little sugar (knowledge!), and make yourself a nice drink you can sip as your opponent sputters for a rebuttal.
Really, when you take the third party position, you’re helping to better others, even if they don’t exactly appreciate it. One of the most important parts of the role to keep in mind is that the devil’s advocate typically has an opinion but is willing to step away from their view and look at both sides objectively. Whether it’s politics, religion, money or anything else you’re not supposed to discuss with friends, try to take a step back and laugh with Satan. Oops. I mean, play devil’s advocate. Hey, your buddies might even thank you later (probably not). Have a nice day.
