How To Change Another's Mind

[simplicity]

The short answer is, "You can't."

What's MUCH more interesting is why you would want to change another person's mind in the first place. But back to the original proposition...

Let's assume that you could actually understand how and why another person thinks the way they do. IOW, you could have access to the infinite number of thoughts that have taken place in this person's life [which have slowly morphed over time and given rise to ever-changing mindsets]. Then factor in the infinite number of influences this person has had from...parents, siblings, teachers, friends, business associates, books, lectures, songs and movies, etc.].

Now let's say you are involved in a debate with this person over subject X and you have conveyed your opinion. What do you believe is the chance that your written opinion [as rough and inaccurate as it is] is going to overcome a lifetime's worth of influence from all kinds of people and sources, many who are most likely a great deal more knowledgeable than you AND actually know this person? Exactly.

I've been participating in these online forums since the beginning of the internet's proliferation and have NEVER seen anybody who had a considered opinion change their mind, yet look at the effort people seem to make attempting to do so. So what's going on here?

In my opinion, it simply comes down to affirmation. People could care less about anything other than getting others to agree with them so they can feel better about themselves. Deep down, people intuit that they are full of sh*t [can't really understand anything], but to admit this overtly would force them into dealing with their reality on an entirely different level [something few are willing to do], so just as they put up with their own BS, so do they put up with the everybody's BS [particularly institutional BS, e.g., government, Academia, the business world, and especially marketing, the whole nine yards].

This is not to say that there aren't great things going on...only to comment on the underlying stuff that everybody pretends to ignore.

[Walker]

The short answer is, "You can't."

What's MUCH more interesting is why you would want to change another person's mind in the first place.

Because they want to kill you, they say it in words and deed, and they say they're going come back again and again to try and wipe you out.

If you can't change their mind, you still have to survive.

[Impenitent]

changing another's mind?

education, alcohol, drugs, lobotomies...

-Imp

[Walker]

The short answer is, "You can't."

Sure you can. Here's two more ways.


1. Strap a rat cage to Winston Smith's face, then interrogate him.

2. Make an offer a Trump associate can't refuse. Sign the paper, or suffer the consequences.


Nothing to it. Happens most every day, somewhere, if you don't mind changing some details for number one.

[Walker]

I've been participating in these online forums since the beginning of the internet's proliferation and have NEVER seen anybody who had a considered opinion change their mind, yet look at the effort people seem to make attempting to do so. So what's going on here?

What's going on are attempts to falsify assertions by means of various tactics, the primary tactic being rhetorical, non-sequitur questions, courtroom style. The Socratic method adapted to the courtroom rather than philosophy. The icing is a lot of other stuff.

A discussion that proceeds with simple questions and statements, with simple responses that verify understanding before moving on to implications, is quite rare. Practically unheard of. Attempts are on the order of ... Have you stopped beating your wife, yes or no? Big built in bias in the questions.

Every once in awhile I take another try at how it should be, and it usually doesn't get too far before the other stuff shows up. So called discussions end up being just a milling around the starting line.


An example of what should be, in a philosophy dialogue forum, can be found in the The Dialogues of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. Honesty and sincerity on both sides. There's a thread here, easy to find.

Questions and answers. Statements and answers. That's how it should be.

Many of the questions and declarations around here are preambled with a ration or two of snot, with snot often flowing freely. Once your topic gets changed to snot by your discussion partner, join in with the snotty energy!


Wipe that slime snot off your cheek and slime the slimer right back ... that's what's going on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng0olzfFzog

[LuckyR]

The short answer is, "You can't."

What's MUCH more interesting is why you would want to change another person's mind in the first place. But back to the original proposition...

Let's assume that you could actually understand how and why another person thinks the way they do. IOW, you could have access to the infinite number of thoughts that have taken place in this person's life [which have slowly morphed over time and given rise to ever-changing mindsets]. Then factor in the infinite number of influences this person has had from...parents, siblings, teachers, friends, business associates, books, lectures, songs and movies, etc.].

Now let's say you are involved in a debate with this person over subject X and you have conveyed your opinion. What do you believe is the chance that your written opinion [as rough and inaccurate as it is] is going to overcome a lifetime's worth of influence from all kinds of people and sources, many who are most likely a great deal more knowledgeable than you AND actually know this person? Exactly.

I've been participating in these online forums since the beginning of the internet's proliferation and have NEVER seen anybody who had a considered opinion change their mind, yet look at the effort people seem to make attempting to do so. So what's going on here?

In my opinion, it simply comes down to affirmation. People could care less about anything other than getting others to agree with them so they can feel better about themselves. Deep down, people intuit that they are full of sh*t [can't really understand anything], but to admit this overtly would force them into dealing with their reality on an entirely different level [something few are willing to do], so just as they put up with their own BS, so do they put up with the everybody's BS [particularly institutional BS, e.g., government, Academia, the business world, and especially marketing, the whole nine yards].

This is not to say that there aren't great things going on...only to comment on the underlying stuff that everybody pretends to ignore.

Folks change other people's minds all the time. The reason it seems rare (besides the fact that it IS rare), is that you are looking for the argument to be of so high a quality that it can change anyone's mind. That, as you noted, is entirely false. However, if one's audience contains someone intelligent enough and self confident enough to know (and acknowledge) that they, in fact don't know everything, then you can change that guy's mind IF you can articulate a superior argument.