Episode 2888 CWSA 07/05/25 — Scott Adams Philosophy

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NewsReaction Politics as Persuasion

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Context —

t and whatever women work out, you know, I'll go along with that. Because if the situation were reversed and I were a female, I wouldn't want men to have an opinion on abortion. I'd say stay out of it. You just stay out of it. Let the women figure it out. So I apply the same standard as a man. I say, oh, okay. If I were you, I'd want me to stay out of the argument. So I do. I have nothing to add t…

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his policies." To which I say that is a perfect Democrat response. It did the two things that Democrats do.

The first thing is they don't address the point. They insult you personally. So was the thing that you needed to talk about my smug dismissal of legitimate fears? Was this really about me? Why would you make it about me? That's not a reasonable question to ask. If half of the country believes they live in a hellscape and I care enough to understand what that's about, then I publicly put myself out there and say, well, can you give me an example? Because I can be convinced. I could be talked into it. If you had real examples, I'd say, oh, okay. Maybe those things don't bother me, but I could see how they would bother you. Thank you for your answer.

But instead I get attacked personally for my smug dismissal of legitimate fears. Like I've got some special lack of empathy for the underprivileged. No, I don't. I just have a genuine curiosity. What the heck is the hellscape? Can you give me some examples?

Then the second thing that is typically Democrat besides going after the person instead of the opinion is these vague handwaving problems like Trump's authoritarian tendencies. All right. So go on now. Complete the picture. His authoritarian tendencies give you what problem

Context —

? Well, it allowed me to oversimplify and ignore the real trauma inflicted on marginalized communities. Okay, we're getting closer. What would be an example of the real trauma inflicted on the marginalized communities? Just one example. So what exactly is a trauma inducer? Can you give me any example of that? Apparently not. Rasmussen did a poll asking people about their preferences for Democrats…

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Wisdom from this episode

"The first thing is they don't address the point. They insult you personally. The second thing that is typically Democrat besides going after the person instead of the opinion is these vague handwaving problems like Trump's authoritarian tendencies. So go on now. Complete the picture. His authoritarian tendencies give you what problem"

In political arguments, people often skip the actual point, attack you personally, and raise vague fears without ever specifying what real problem those fears would cause.

"If half of the country believes they live in a hellscape and I care enough to understand what that's about, then I publicly put myself out there and say, well, can you give me an example? Because I can be convinced. If you had real examples, I'd say, oh, okay. Maybe those things don't bother me, but I could see how they would bother you."

When others see the world very differently, ask for concrete examples with real curiosity—you might be persuadable, or at minimum you can validate why it bothers them.