Whether big or small, I come across an argument here or there. My most recent argument, however, happened yesterday. My friends and I were in the union at school and started to talk about sports. We all have different opinions about basketball, so an argument escalated quickly. We debated about who we thought was the best basketball player of all time. You may be thinking that this a common issue between male friends, so it isn’t really a big deal. I beg to differ. Most of my friends love sports, so when we talk about things involving sports, it gets heated. The audience consisted of anyone who was listening while the other tried to prove their point. I was trying to make my case as to why I felt Lebron James was the best basketball player of all time. Although I couldn’t get them to agree with me, I got them to realize why I felt he is the best player in history. Once they heard me rave about his 3 NBA titles, and four league MVP’s, they understood more.
I do feel as if this situation describes my typical argument style. Normally, I maintain a pretty adversarial style of argument. I would start off telling my side of the story trying to convince listeners to agree with my point of view. The other person would do the same and see who’s side the audience takes. They could also choose to just remain neutral, which happens a lot of the time. This is exactly what you’re thinking, the traditional style of argument.
My argument style has been influenced by my family members and friends. I feel, however, like I am the main influence of my style. I have a laid-back personality, which makes adversarial argument the best fit for me. Once I feel like I’ve gotten my point across, you get your chance and the rest handles itself. This has always been my personality throughout my life because I’m typically quiet, so arguing isn’t really my thing.
I like that my style of argument is right to the point. It allows both sides to be heard rather than only hearing one point of view, another important style of argument. A lot of the arguments that I have heard throughout my life usually results in one person not getting their side of the story told. The adversarial style, however, allows both parties to be heard. I would like to adopt a more consensual style of argument, where the other person and myself can reach an agreement. Sometimes, I may feel as if you have no choice but to agree with what I say. I can become more flexible in my style by allowing myself to be more talkative and say more rather than staying quiet a lot of the time. That is also a main reason why I adopt a more adversarial style. Maybe somewhere down the road, I can become diverse in how I argue with people.
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