I decided to finally read the classic book on friendship.
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a book I wish I had read in college. It is a nice collection of tips on dealing with people.
One chapter deals with arguments. From You Can’t Win an Argument:
You can’t win an argument. You can’t because if you lose it, you lose it; and if you win it, you lose it. Why? Well, suppose you triumph over the other man and shoot his argument full of holes and prove that he is non compos mentis. Then what? You will feel fine. But what about him? You have made him feel inferior. You have hurt his pride. He will resent your triumph.
To think of all the wasted time we spend arguing with each other is saddening. This book can go a long way toward improving human relationships.