Chapter Three Quotes

Quotes Chapter Three “If you’re competing against a superior company or candidate (or suitor of any kind), use the future tense against your opponent. “You’ve heard a lot of bragging about past accomplishments and how great my opponent is, but let’s talk about the future: what do you want done.”

Quotes Chapter Three “The future sounds lovely, but isn’t civil discourse supposed to be about sticking to the facts? The future has no facts, right? Doesn’t it simply speculate? // A successful argument, like anything about the future, cannot stick to the facts.”

Quotes Chapter Three “Deliberative argument can use facts, but it must not limit itself to them.”

Quotes Chapter Three “Instead of helping us to find some elusive truth, deliberative argument deliberates, weighing one choice against the other, considering the circumstances.” “When you argue about values, you use demonstrative rhetoric, not deliberative.”

Quotes Chapter Three “Practical concerns, on the other hand, are open to deliberative debate. Because deliberation has to do with choices, everything about it depends— on the circumstances, the time, the people involved, and whatever ‘pubic’ you mean when you talk about public opinion.” “Deliberative argument relies on public opinion to resolve questions…”

Quotes Chapter Three “Try this in a meeting—Hold your tongue well into the discussion. If an argument bogs down in the past or present tense, switch it to the future. ‘You’re all making good points, but how are we going to…?’ Make sure that question define the issue in a way that is favorable to your side.”