Are your arguments real?

“ You know what it is like when you are having an argument with someone you are close to, you may hear that they are kinda right about something but you ignore that and you wait for something you can jump on so you can argue it,” says Deborah Tannen. Tannen believes that when people are arguing, they are trying to find weaknesses in each other instead of arguing about the issue. Tannen also says, “ when both sides argue, the truth will emerge.” Tannen says that arguing does not need to stop, but “ we have to find constructive ways of carrying on those arguments.” Arguing can’t ever stop because there will never be a debate again, but she says we do have to change how people argue. Tannen uses emotions, ideology, and logical reasoning to convince her readers that when people argue they are looking for weaknesses in each other. Tannen uses emotions in many ways to convince her readers that people argue to find weaknesses in one another. Tannen says, “ When people in power know that what they say will be scrutinized for weaknesses and probably distorted, they become more guarded.” This makes readers feel happy which makes them believe Tannen.

Many of Tannen’s readers may have been happy when she said this because they can relate. Tannen uses these emotions because she knows that readers will feel the same way. In an article called “ Mindful Arguing”, author William Berry said, “ second, he can focus on the positive motives of the other.” This would make readers feel challenged to focus on the positive things next time that are having an argument. This makes readers believe what Tannen says because it goes along with her theory of people focus on the negatives while arguing. In one of her video interviews, Tannen says, “ You know what it is like when you are having an argument with someone you are close to, you may hear that they are kinda right about something but you ignore that and you wait for something you can jump on so you can argue it.” This is using emotion because people feel that this may have happened to them before. This makes people understand and believe Tannen when she says people are always looking for negatives while they are arguing. Throughout Tannen’s article, “ Triumph of the Yell,” she uses emotions to convince readers, but she also uses ideology or credibility. Tannen’s article “ Triumph of the Yell,” shows credibility a lot, especially since Deborah is an author. At the beginning of the video titled, “ Argument Culture,” it says that Deborah has written and published a book. If Tannen has written and published a book that people know and believe that she is credible. People agree with Tannen because she is a successful author. According to her website, “ Deborah Tannen is University Professor and Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University and author of many books… about how the language of everyday conversation affects relationships.” If people know that Tannen has a lot of degrees and if people know about her books, then she will be able to convince readers. This shows that Tannen is a reliable writer, she has written many books and a professor. Tannen has made two videos that teachers and college professors can use in their classrooms.

Knowing that Tannen has created videos that have been published and sold for teachers to use makes her very credible. Tannen’s credibility is amazing and that makes people believe her theory, Tannen also makes thing make sense to the reader through facts and logic so that they can understand it. Tannen convinces her readers by explaining things in a way so everyone can understand. Tannen explains, “ the culture of critique is based on the belief that opposition leads to truth: when both sides argue, the truth will emerge.” When Tannen says, “ when both sides argue, the truth will emerge,” that helps readers understand that when people argue the truth will emerge. No matter if the people arguing are finding weaknesses in each other or not. In a video titled “ Argument Culture,” Tannen says, “ we have to find constructive ways of carrying on those arguments.” This is logical and it is fact because if we do not find constructive ways, then arguing will also be bad and negative. Arguing is not a bad thing, and Tannen explains that through logistics. She does not want people to stop arguing, and when she explains that, people will believe her more. Tannen also says in her video, “ don’t you want to hear the other side of something, well sometimes there is no other side.” This helps people understand some arguments never get resolved because sometimes there is no other side. This makes people agree with Tannen because you know a time where there was only one side to the argument but you did not care. Tannen does a great job of using logistics in her writing to convince readers along with facts and emotions. Through Tannen’s writing, she does a great job of convincing readers through the rhetorical triangle, using logical reasoning, emotions, and ideology. Tannen has written many books, been in many interviews, and wrote a lot of articles so her readers have proof that she is credible. Tannen’s use of facts and logic makes the readers understand and believe what she is saying about arguing. Tannen’s theory is that when people argue they are looking for weaknesses in each other and not arguing about an actual issue. Tannen is a very effective writing and she is great at convincing people through her writing.