Thank You For Arguing Analysis

A Deeper Connection to the Art of Persuasion

Arguing can be such a beautiful thing, as long as it’s healthy, of course. Unhealthy arguments can come with some major consequences and life of regret. It’s hard to make a healthy argument happen sometimes, as humans don’t always have the best tendencies to be considerate. But one author sets out to help change the game of the art of persuasion. Jay Heinrichs is a New England based author who wrote the book “Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, And Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion” as this master-arguer sets out to take the reader on a journey of how to perfect their own abilities of persuasion. Just as Heinrichs’ goal of his book, this paper should hopefully convince

Isn’t that why arguments happen anyways? But an argument can be so much easier to control if two people can feel the same mood and that's just what the chapter “Controlling the Mood” does in “Thank You For Arguing”. The chapter starts out with Heinrichs starting off by recalling a moment with his three year old daughter throwing a tantrum. Heinrichs responds to this tantrum by saying “This argument won’t work sweetheart. It isn’t pathetic enough.” (Heinrichs 81) This leads to a bystander question Heinrichs and what he has just said to this young child. Heinrichs then goes on to say “That’s a technical term. It worked didn’t it?” (Heinrichs 81) What Heinrichs is saying is saying is he was able to control the situation by not giving into the mood that his daughter had just presented in front of these on-lookers. Heinrichs takes many different approaches as to how he presents the information presented. As previously discussed, Heinrichs takes the approach of using an example from his own life to convey this message to his reader. This is followed up by using examples from Aristotle, who Heinrichs feels is the founder of the rhetoric system, followed by a paraphrased-quote of Homer Simpson, and finally an example from the movie Good Will Hunting. All of these tie into how to properly set the mood of an argument by helping to make people believe in what the arguer is trying to convey. Personally, this chapter is relatable from the aspect that Heinrichs’ says “Humor ranks above all the other emotions in persuasiveness.” (Heinrichs 87) I personally love taking the approach of humor as I believe it lightens the mood and typically makes people happier. It typically softens the person so their is room for persuasion of what is being argued. Also a relatable aspect of this chapter is when Heinrichs states “Don’t visibly exaggerate your emotions.” (Heinrichs 85) Personally, this is