Argumentative people? Are you one of them?

[Scorpionghost]

My colleague is so argumentative it’s bizarre. Whatever I say she will just be the opposite. I made a passing comment like “eurgh I hate excel” and she went into a long speech about why she loves it … like ok? I don’t care. Or another passing comment about how I don’t like having meetings scheduled outside normal working hours and again a huge speech about why she doesn’t mind and how it’s expected.

She told me she once debated her boyfriend for 3 hours over the existence of Adam and Eve.

I really don’t get people that love to argue, prove you wrong, debate you. If it’s something racist (for example) then yes of course I would speak up but I don’t care if people think opposite to me, have different religious beliefs, follow a different political party.

I just have no passion to change peoples minds on anything that’s not racist or harmful. Anyone else just love being argumentative and debating?

Love to you @Myclovkosbroken I can be the same but it’s never about the level of opinion expressing you’ve put in your posts OP! (Excel 😂) If someone expresses a political opinion in a social setting for example I will assume they are doing so because they like a good debate and then have to back off when it dawns on me they are simply an announcing type of person but I think I’d become a bit of a broken record OP and just end up saying “Ah well you do you” to this woman every single time. Perhaps an occasional “why did you ask me if you already know the answer?” to things like the food wastage/ sustainability. What a time waster/ energy drainer. I’d want to be as swift and brief as possible in interacting.

Make it into a game. Whatever she says, agree with her more and more enthusiastically and stridently. "Botox won't give me a head ache" "of course it won't. Anyone who says that is a total hypochondriac or lying to discredit the procedure. If fact I've heard that it makes your head feel great and you never have headaches at all" Award yourself a point if she shuts up. Lose a point if she agrees and ten bonus points if she starts to argue against her original point. If you get to 50 points by Friday buy yourself a doughnut/treat of choice.

Genuinely sounds like my idea of hell.

What do you debate about?

I'm with you, apart from the JW mother.

There are very few people I care enough about to argue with, I'll just nod and smile and think "fecking eejit" but wouldn't waste my energy on disagreeing with them.

I've never really understood all the falling out and making up that people are doing, who needs the stress?

Depends what comes up in conversation.

Me and my sister got into a passionate debate about people on benefits the other week. We got our mum involved in that bugger 😂

Geo politics is a favourite between me and my husband.

That and whether we should share our euro millions jackpot between our family members equally or decide individual amounts based on their circumstances and the broader issue of treating people equally versus ensuring equality of outcome.

We don't even play the lottery.

I think that’s my point, I have views and come across people with different views and I just don’t care … think what you think. I couldn’t give a fuck less.

My aunt used to (maybe still does) post her political views on Facebook and argue back and forth with my uncle (her brother) and I just used to cringe. Like why do I need to know your political views?? Why do you feel the need to share it?!

This I don't understand. I love a good in-depth discussion / argument.

What do you talk about when hanging around with friends?

I worked with one of those for YEARS sometimes her opinions etc were just downright offensive.

She didn't have DC and she was so nasty about children/mothers at times it was shocking.

I'm not sure who she thinks will be looking after her in her old age...

But you know someone who once was a child I reckon.

No. Who’s got time for that 🤣

Try telling this woman : some people always have to be right. And then wait and see if she will ever admit to being wrong. She may just shut down!

I think there are a lot of people like this. They are always right. And they love to tell you you are wrong no matter what you have to say. They are highly competitive but not in a good way. Exhausting and a waste of energy. Don't let yourself be sucked in.
Loving a good argument or debate is an entirely different matter.

There's a difference between enjoying debate and feeling the need to prove people wrong - I can't resist playing devil's advocate and unpicking the for and against of things, and I do regard sweeping unevidenced pronouncements by people as a challenge that I find it difficult to ignore. But I enjoy the debate for the sake of it and am usually not bothered by ending in agreeing to disagree, particularly if the person I'm talking to has made interesting points. I am also aware that not everyone feels comfortable with that, though, and do try to keep my mouth shut unless I'm confident I'm in the right sort of situation.

Oh no I am not!

I mean we definitely don’t get together and debate politics or immigration. I wouldn’t have a clue who any of my friends voted for.

Working with people like your colleague is the reason why I'm now self-employed 😂