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Hyperboles are great for jokes, but bad for arguments. Many people take hyperbolic statements too literally and are quick to argue with them. By arguing the po
by hnruss 14y ago
Hyperboles are great for jokes, but bad for arguments.
Many people take hyperbolic statements too literally and are quick to argue with them. By arguing the point, the person who made the statement is put on the defensive and the conversation descends into petty bickering.
Next time you are about to react to a hyperbolic statement, take a moment to consider whether the person making the statement actually believes it or is just saying it to express their feelings on the subject.
Consider the statement: "Fish is the worst food ever!" Obviously, there are worse foods, but-- do you really need argue that? Can you even win an argument about taste? Who are you really impressing by arguing about that? Also, why bother?
- hilko 14y agoHaha, that rings so true. I usually spend half an argument with friends getting to the point where the 'hyperbolizer' clarifies that he or she was merely hyperbolic. But the rest of the conversation is influenced by this initial hyperbole, and usually I conclude it was probably best to let it rest and perhaps get back to it later.