The Joy of Argument by Albert Navarra

Author:Albert Navarra
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boyle
Published: 2015-10-29T15:43:35+00:00

A Cliché Is Not an Argument

Clichés are generalizations based on centuries of living. And they’re often true, in a general kind of way. But a cliché should not be used to argue for or against something in a particular case. Simply said, a cliché is not a substitute for an argument.

“Patience is a virtue.” Sometimes it is. But if your 401(k) is losing money year after year, should you be patient and do nothing? If you have applied for a job and received no response, should you just sit back and be patient? Of course not. Sometimes patience can hurt you. Sometimes you need to take action.

“All publicity is good publicity.” Maybe it is, if all you care about is notoriety. But if your company is publicly accused of ripping off customers, is that good? If you are publicly accused of being indecent, does that bode well for your future?

“Don’t change horses in midstream.” I’ve never ridden a horse, but this sounds like good advice. But does that mean that if your lawyer is routinely late to court and unprepared that you should stick with her? If you hired a contractor but he’s using low-quality materials and his work is sloppy, should you just let him finish the job? Of course not! Sometimes it’s better to make a change.

“Fight fire with fire.” Professional firefighters do this sometimes. “Backburning” is a way of fighting a bushfire by burning back towards the oncoming fire, thereby removing fuel from the path of the fire. But if the person you are arguing with insults you, should you insult him or her? If the other person makes a “domino” argument, should you make one too? Of course not. It’s a mistake to respond to a mistake by making a mistake.

“The end justifies the means.” Here’s a cliché that could end civilization! Would the United States be justified in ending its dependence on foreign oil by seizing a few Middle Eastern countries? Would a business be justified in increasing profit by charging for unneeded services? The end goal may be legitimate and worth pursuing, but the methods used to achieve the goal must be also be legitimate.

“A leopard cannot change its spots” and “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I suppose a leopard can’t change its spots. And I’ll let a dog expert handle the dog cliché. But if you have an anger management problem that interferes with your daily life, should you simply ignore it? If you’re having a hard time learning a new skill, should you just quit? If you are very experienced in your industry but you have become aware that there is a better way to do something, should you ignore it? Aristotle said the main difference between people and rocks is that people can change their behavior. Rocks can’t. Throw a rock in the air and it’s going to fall back to the ground, every time, no matter how much you want it to stay in the air.

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