Have you ever been in a disagreement that got out of
control? I have.
People are different. Some respond to criticism by trying to
placate the other side, even groveling if necessary. They are willing to cede
any intellectual or moral position in hopes of ending the argument, even when they believe they are in the right. They take the proverbial knee ... or occasionally the literal knee.
Others fume and fuss and become emotional when the logic of
a critique disturbs their received worldview. They take correction personally,
as a negative commentary on their character rather than a learning opportunity.
Easily baited into debating hypotheticals, they can even find themselves arguing
positions they don’t really believe because they are so caught up in trying to “win”.