I have a tendency that I wonder if other people share:

When debating topics, I often find myself taking a position in opposition to the whatever the prevailing "side" is. It doesn't always even matter what my true opinion is, if I find people arguing in one direction, I will often urge them to consider the opposing view. I tell the conservatives to loosen up and the liberals to tighten down. I tell the boisterous to be quieter, and the quiet to liven up. If most people in a thread want to control gun ownership, I might argue for more liberal policies. If most people want to be able to lock and load on a whim, I argue for painstaking background checks and waiting periods.

There are some issues where I just can't, where I hold my own position too firmly, and react to arguments against it too strongly, to ever point someone in another direction.

But very often, I find myself just trying to be contrarian and urge people to think through their positions carefully. And I think I do so because I believe it's important to be sure your position can stand up against argument ... so play devil's advocate and try to dismantle your own view, to see if it can be done.

I usually do it only on this issues where I don't really have a strong opinion and truly can see some merit in various approaches. I couldn't argue against civil rights for everyone, or against reproductive rights, for example. Gun ownership, tax policy and some other things I have much more ambiguous positions on, and can put some energy into backing whichever side is the minority view among a given group.

Anyone else do this?



-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001

Answers

Constantly. I can often see some merit in the differing points of view. It comes in part from having an open mind, in part from respect for the humanity (not necessarily their whole point of view, but the fact that they believe strongly, are willing to argue it, aren't apathetic, etc.), and in part from the realization that I'm too aware I can't know everything about everything... and sometimes, playing devil's advocate spurs the opposition to express their ideas more (or more fully) and I learn. I may still decide I choose that contrary point of view after all is said and done, but generally it's not a knee-jerk opinion.

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001

I used to play devil's advocate much more than I do now...

Mostly because I love to debate (um, my husband would use the word "argue") and it is more fun if you have more than one POV. Also, I could often see the argument from all sides, so it was something of a fun exercise to come at it from the side that needed more help, and as you say, doing so makes you challenge your own beliefs.

I guess I do that sort of thing less often now because I am around people whose viewpoints I strongly oppose more often than when I was in school, or living pre-university life. I end up the lone voice on the side I actually agree with during debates with people at work.

I also used to enjoy debating more than I do now. I think I did what you are talking about so much when I was younger that I am easily bored by debating (non-political) issues now. I feel like I could have the whole argument myself, already know all the interesting points of it, and why bother? Maybe I'm jaded.

Basic political issues, however, are another matter. Endlessly interested in discussing them, and like you, never able to take any stand but my own. I tend to get really het up rather than keeping the cool distance you need to look at things from all sides. Politics taps into something basic, I believe.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001

If I'm around really stupid people who are being very opinionated, I sometimes find myself doing this just to be a pest. Only I act very sincere so they'd never guess. With some people you can actually get them so turned around that they start arguing against whatever their original point was.

With reasonably intelligent people, with issues I feel strongly about, no. It's too serious for me to enjoy screwing around with.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001