A discussion is a very satisfying form of interaction, and so are arguments. Albeit not as pleasant as discussions, they can still bring a lot of amusement, and you might even learn something new from them. That is if your opponent plays fair and does not employ any of the toxic argument tactics that are so plentiful and terribly annoying. Want to learn more about these toxic arguments? Well, you’re in luck - there’s this awesome Reddit thread where people shared the wild cards other people use to turn a perfectly normal argument into a toxic one. Read it, learn from their example, and learn how to win an argument with a toxic person if ever you need it.
So, what are these bad argument tactics? Well, the front-runner is simply raising your voice in defense or offense - either way, it usually only proves your guilt and confuses your opponent even further in what you are trying to say. A low voice and calm composure always wins. A second runner-up in toxic things to say in an argument is to base your opinion on something as silly as ‘I read it on the Internet’ or ‘Do your research.’ As the people on the AskReddit thread decipher, the latter usually means ‘Watch two YouTube videos and become the same level expert as I am.’ And lastly, any argument turns into a toxic argument once manipulation, deceit, and hateful remarks start to be thrown around - in that case, your best bet is to run and never look back!
Right, ready to take a look at the toxic argument tactics these people caught in the wild? If so, just scroll on down below until you reach the submissions. Be sure to give the most dishonorable tactic your vote so other readers will see it first!
#1
"'Open your mind.' My mind is open. The earth isn't f*cking flat."
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32points
#2
Commenter said:
"As soon as they realise they won’t win an argument they bring up something I did wrong in the past that has nothing to do with what’s being discussed. At that point it’s not about winning the argument at hand, it’s about just winning something because they can’t handle being wrong. That annoys me."
"As soon as they realise they won’t win an argument they bring up something I did wrong in the past that has nothing to do with what’s being discussed. At that point it’s not about winning the argument at hand, it’s about just winning something because they can’t handle being wrong. That annoys me."
Commenter replied:
"I see you've met my mother."
"I see you've met my mother."
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29points
#3
CGShiz said:
"Saying you should 'do your research' as if it's a winning argument when they obviously don't have a clue what they're talking about."
"Saying you should 'do your research' as if it's a winning argument when they obviously don't have a clue what they're talking about."
murderofcrows90 replied:
"When someone says 'do your research,' I hear, 'watch the same YouTube videos I did.'"
"When someone says 'do your research,' I hear, 'watch the same YouTube videos I did.'"
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26points
#4
Outrageous_Claims said:
"Had an ex that would immediately go to 'WELL i'M SORRY i'M SUCH A F*CK UP, AND YOU HATE ME!" Any time I brought up something I was unhappy with in our relationship which made it impossible for me to bring up anything I was unhappy with.
"Had an ex that would immediately go to 'WELL i'M SORRY i'M SUCH A F*CK UP, AND YOU HATE ME!" Any time I brought up something I was unhappy with in our relationship which made it impossible for me to bring up anything I was unhappy with.
Me 'Hey, I'm not happy that I do the cooking every single night.'
Her 'Well I'm sorry I'm such a stupid idiot who doesn't know how to make anything. I hate myself.'
Then I had to console her, and keep cooking every night. Totally unfair."
blu_crab replied:
"Yep. And then they have the audacity to wonder loudly why nobody will be 'honest' and 'direct' with them."
"Yep. And then they have the audacity to wonder loudly why nobody will be 'honest' and 'direct' with them."
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25points
#5
"The 'Mom Card':
Doesn't matter if you have superior logic, mom always wins the argument because she said so!"
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23points
#6
"'I don’t want to argue.'
Then quit starting an argument, mother."
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23points
#7
"People who set an arbitrary entry goal, rather than arguing the point.
'Oh, did you read this one book?' 'Did you watch this video?' 'Did you follow this course?'
Buddy, if the information contained there makes it so easy to refute my point, by all means do so."
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20points
#8
"'You must be so much fun at parties.' Whenever you Call someone out on sh*tty behavior and they refuse to acknowledge it."
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20points
#9
"Bringing up something from your past that is totally irrelevant to the argument."
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19points
#10
biomech36 said:
"I don't know what the term would be.
"I don't know what the term would be.
When you finish a statement, they turn and laugh lightly, and say whatever. I know that means I win, but it god damn sure doesn't feel like it."
yaosio replied:
"If you want to watch somebody explode say, 'I'm glad you agree I'm right' after they do that."
"If you want to watch somebody explode say, 'I'm glad you agree I'm right' after they do that."
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18points
#11
Udjet said:
"Picking apart your entire argument because you chase the wrong word. They admit they knew what you meant, but invalidate everything because you obviously don't know what you're talking about."
"Picking apart your entire argument because you chase the wrong word. They admit they knew what you meant, but invalidate everything because you obviously don't know what you're talking about."
totalperspec replied:
"You meant to say 'chose' and that error makes you entirely wrong."
"You meant to say 'chose' and that error makes you entirely wrong."
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18points
#12
"I have a pet peeve where people bring up kind things they did for me in order to guilt me out of disagreeing with them.
'You know, I really stuck up for you when so-and-so said this one thing about you.'
Don't even try it. I don't need so-and-so's approval, and I don't need your friendship loaded as ammunition against me."
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18points
#13
"Finding the exception that proves the rule.
You say something like 'iPhones are made in China' and they scour the internet for some source that one particular model was made in Taiwan or something, as if that somehow invalidates your entire argument."
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17points
#14
Commenter said:
"Talking louder makes you right."
"Talking louder makes you right."
Mrminecrafthimself replied:
"CORRECT."
"CORRECT."
NotGayRyan replied:
"I read that in plankton’s voice without even thinking about it."
"I read that in plankton’s voice without even thinking about it."
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17points
#15
TheOneAboveAll said:
"I don't know what to call it but the 'how dare you insinuate I did something wrong despite all the clear evidence showing I did something. I'm a literal angel who cannot do anything wrong so how dare you even suggest I could possibly do anything bad. I'm not the bad guy here. You're the bad guy for even thinking anything wrong of me. I am incapable of doing anything bad and for you to suggest otherwise shows how much of an abusive asshole you really are.' Whatever card you call that. The perfect angel card or something I guess."
"I don't know what to call it but the 'how dare you insinuate I did something wrong despite all the clear evidence showing I did something. I'm a literal angel who cannot do anything wrong so how dare you even suggest I could possibly do anything bad. I'm not the bad guy here. You're the bad guy for even thinking anything wrong of me. I am incapable of doing anything bad and for you to suggest otherwise shows how much of an abusive asshole you really are.' Whatever card you call that. The perfect angel card or something I guess."
GD_Sytonix replied:
"Think that's called the narcissist card."
"Think that's called the narcissist card."
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17points
#16
"Looking through my Facebook photos and pointing out that I'm fat, so therefore what I'm trying to say has no merit. Like whoa, I had no idea that I was fat until you told me, buddy! A+ 100 for you, observational master."
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17points
#17
Fiddlesnarf7 said:
"'You always want to be right.'
"'You always want to be right.'
'Sure honey, you're definitely 100% right like always.'"
Oscar_7 replied:
"The irony about this is that 100% of the time, it's the person saying this that always wants to be right."
"The irony about this is that 100% of the time, it's the person saying this that always wants to be right."
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16points
#18
NotABurner2000 said:
"'So you're saying...'
"'So you're saying...'
No, stop trying to summarize my argument in a way that makes me sound like an a**hole."
aleagrh1 replied:
"I'd say it depends for this one. Sometimes mirroring and rephrasing can help on make sure you're not misinterpreting the other person's argument.
"I'd say it depends for this one. Sometimes mirroring and rephrasing can help on make sure you're not misinterpreting the other person's argument.
I can see it being problematic when someone takes advantage of mirroring or rephrasing to create a straw man."
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15points
#20
1thatonedude1 said:
"'Well that's just your opinion. You have yours I have mine!'
"'Well that's just your opinion. You have yours I have mine!'
No Cletus, peeing in the fuel tank won't work as emergency fuel and that's a fact not an opinion!"
The_Blue_DmR replied:
"Seriously. How did that start? I had a discussion with a guy about frame rates in videogames and he told me just what you said."
"Seriously. How did that start? I had a discussion with a guy about frame rates in videogames and he told me just what you said."
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14points