| The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face. | |
| — Sydney J. Harris | |
| . | |
Escape Hatches
December 15, 2012 by kmabarrett
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I love this. I like to think of this as ‘leaving the door open’ which allows the change you mention but also future contact to continue the conversation (argument).
Never corner the beast. When you do, it has no alternative but to fight to the end, with the renewed commitment which naturally comes from having no other alternative.
Always allow (at least) the illusion of possible escape. If nothing else, it increases the probability the opponent will avoid “the corner” and therefore move in your intended direction (down the path you set).
Strategic chess…
In a less militaristic vein, it allows you to keep your friends and not be perceived as a “jerk”.
🙂