THE ART OF ARGUMENT

There are many things I love in life. I love my family, I love my friends, I love the Buckeyes and boy, do I love a good argument. Of course there are other things that could easily be on this list. I mean, I am a college student so I do love the weekend, the house parties, the chill nights and the overall good times. But there’s something about a good argument that really gets me going.

I don’t know when this love for arguments began but I would assume it was during high school. Why during high school? Well, let’s just say I didn’t agree with the teachings of my high school, specifically my religion class. If you didn’t know, I went to a Catholic school and by no means am I Catholic. So when I started feeling like I was slowly being converted into a Catholic, I started to stop agreeing and start forming an opinion that would be COMPLETELY opposite than the norm. Now I didn’t go denying God (I’m very much a Christian) or condemning Catholics and Catholicism (Many of my friends are Catholic) but I did begin to argue with others about trivial things such as why is the Virgin Mary so important and why do you all stand and sit so much during Mass? (I still think Catholics need to make up their damn minds on that one)

So anyways, the arguing began and ever since I’ve started, I’ve run with it. I’ve always told people that I could argue that the sky isn’t blue and ten minutes later, having you doubt if it actually is. Now, I don’t think I’m THAT good but I’ve gotten pretty good at it. But why? Because I manipulate things like no other. I’m pretty sure if I did a study on the arguments that I have, I’d probably find that I lie 5-10 times within the argument in an effort to make my point. I normally don’t condone lying but when you’re trying to win an argument, it can sometimes be necessary to get the other person doubting themselves.

My favorite way of manipulating is spewing out facts that aren’t close to being true. Yet if you cite one study or one game 15 years ago, no one is willing to call you out because they don’t wanna fear being wrong. A lot of people take pride in arguments so every word must be perfect. Myself, I just enjoy doing it so I could care less if my words are accurate. It’s not hard to correct yourself. Just say you slipped or that wasn’t the way I wanted to word it. That way, you can retract a statement that would’ve put you on a slippery slope to losing the argument and then change it to a winning one-liner that takes out the opposing party at the knees.

The great thing also about arguments is the variety of arguments you can have. From politics to sports, girls to reality shows, they can be funny or serious and last for minutes, hours, and even days. They can take place on-line, on the phone and in person (always the best). Most importantly though, they require you to think quickly and on your feet. There’s no time for long pauses (a sign of weakness) or quoting (shows you actually did research). It’s all about what you know OR what you can get the other person to think that you know.

Now in high school, I pretty much dominated most arguments. I had some great sports arguments with some friends who were just so bull-headed or lacked good arguing capabilities that they either said I won or just stopped because they knew they were out-manned. Then, I hit college and well, things got a little tougher. People were sharp and knew their stuff. I kept getting called out on my arguments. I met sports fans who had been watching as long as I have. I had met people who genuinely just knew more but most importantly, I began to lose my edge because I didn’t want to argue with the new people I had just met. See, some people think my arguments are a sign of hatred or anger towards that person. Instead, my sarcasm and want to argue is my way of saying I respect you as not only a friend but as a quality debater.

As I got to know people, I learned something else. Your closest friends will always be the ones who have the best counter arguments. What sucks is that here in Athens, the arguments that I would love to have everyday come few and far between. My best friends from home are, well home. My other friend went back to his home. That really only leaves me with one true friend who can argue with the best of them. So far, we’ve tussled over tables, girls and basketball rules. Each argument has been good and kept me fresh for when I replace Mike Wilbon on PTI. Plus, the great thing about close friends is that they are not afraid to tell you that you are dead wrong or afraid to hurt your feelings. That’s why I truly miss the great arguments with the friends from/at home.

So for anyone who reads this post, don’t be afraid to throw a good argument my way. It can be dumb or serious. It can deal with any topic. It can go as long as it wants or you bail on it at any point. I don’t really care. I just know that I look for arguments wherever I go (kinda like girlfriends too). So if you’re up for the challenge, bring it. And trust, I’m ready because I’m pretty sure the sky is looking more and more green every day