This guide to Conversational Terrorism (thanks /usr/bin/grl!) offers many insights into the muck of conversations where you wonder what the hell is going on – where topics and simple self-expression and sharing aren’t the focus but WINNING is. BUT *grin* if you’ve ever been on an email list with a flame war, or even a ‘heated conversation’, many of these same tactics get used. One tactic I didn’t see on my quick read through, however, was the “I agree with you….” and then the person continues on with their same point which is actually NOT in agreement with you – they are either using it as a tactic (either consciously or unconsciously) or they really are NOT discerning a difference where you are. Either way…. it doesn’t really lend them any credibility. *shrug* In any case, it was great fun reading through this page and thinking of times when I’ve seen these tactics in use.