How to Debate Leftists and Destroy Them: 11 Rules for Winning the Argument by Ben Shapiro

read in October 2015

"This is why it’s so comfortable to be on the left: that unearned sense of moral superiority."

"They used to call this Pauline Kael syndrome."

"The left no longer makes arguments about policies’ effectiveness. Their only argument is character assassination."

"Third, you should debate a leftist if there is an audience. The goal of the debate will not be to win over the leftist, or to convince him or her, or to be friends with him or her. That person already disagrees with you, and they’re not going to be convinced by your words of wisdom and your sparkling rhetorical flourishes. The goal will be to destroy the leftist in as public a way as is humanly possible."

"...through intimidation and cruelty. You have to take the punch, you have to brush it off. You have to be willing to take the punch."

"The truth is that your opponent, who labels you a racist without evidence, is the actual racist: it is he who waters down the term racism until it is meaningless by labeling any argument with which he disagrees racist."

"...hit him first by pointing out his vicious tactic."

"This tactic – forcing the left to debate within frameworks they dislike – is useful on virtually every front."

"Your goal is to make the left admit once and for all what they believe about policy by exposing those inconsistencies."

"Forcing the left to answer questions is often like trying to pin pudding to the wall – messy and near-impossible. But it’s uncomfortable for them to be on the defensive."