Why do some, attack the messenger rather than engage the message?

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   connorjposted 12 years ago

   Why do some, attack the messenger rather than engage the message?
   
   Does that mean that engaging in objective analysis of a speaker's position doesn't matter anymore? What really matters is who you are (primarily your race, class, gender), and what interests, motives, and political ideologies you hold. Thus, attacking the speaker either in a rude and crass or more subtle and sophisticated form becomes the accepted tactic.
   
   
   

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   Freeway Flyerposted 12 years ago

   My simple answer would be that it is easier. Anyone can toss around insults, but it takes a bit of work to make a coherent argument.
   
   It's also because most of us don't engage in dialogues to really learn anything. We are trying to win an argument, and we get pissed off at people who don't acknowledge that we are right.

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      connorjposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am beginning to believe this; that is, the absence of listening, contemplation, and subsequently responding. Their hearts are already formed and significantly pernicious.

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   celafoeposted 12 years ago

   I find the usual reason is that they cannot defend their position of what they believe and really are trying to convince others to believe what they "choose" to believe and are not interested in truth, just dissemination of their beliefs.  Since they are unable to defend their position they attack and try to discredit the person with the truth.   I guess They have learned this from the liberals  in government as that is what they have been doing and getting away with for years.

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      connorjposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Celafoe,
      It does indeed seem that the reason may indeed be focused on dissemination of their view or change that they are seeking...

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   Attikosposted 12 years ago

   People kill the messenger when they don't want to face a problem and think they can put off having to deal with it by discrediting the one who brought it up. It's not respectable argument, but it is a very human way to behave.

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      connorjposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes indeed you have added a most significant reason, the inability to face the issue and change...

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   Rose Anne Kareshposted 12 years ago

   I think fear plays a big role in this kind of behavior. When someone has said something that inspires fear on some level then it can be easier to try to discredit them, and by implication their message, than to deal with the fear and the issues at hand.

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      connorjposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Rose Anne you have shared, perhaps, the root cause behind this; that would be fear. Brilliant, thank you!

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   LongTimeMotherposted 12 years ago

   It's a bit like watching bullies in the school yard. One starts, others join in. The pack mentality takes over and even sane and rational individuals suddenly lose all sane and rational thought and behaviour. It becomes a competition to see who in the pack can speak the loudest, who can speak most often, and who feels like they had the best quote among their peers. They thought what they said was clever, so they assume everyone else agrees.
   
   If they don't think people noticed and acknowledged their brilliance, they just keep trying again ... and again ... and again.
   
   I've had interesting conversations with schoolyard bullies over the years, one on one. I find some are arrogant, some are ignorant, and some just don't know why feel compelled to behave badly when they have an audience.
   
   For whatever reason, they don't stop to listen to what is being said. Too busy flexing their muscles to open their minds to the conversation around them. It's a shame they can't see how silly their behaviour seems to onlookers, but this type of person can only see their own viewpoint.
   
   Not much you can do when a person doesn't want to hear you, connorj. We like to think young ones will grow out of bullying and trying to impress the pack, but sadly some never do.

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      connorjposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This is indeed a significant parallel, LongTime Mother. I have never thought about this parallel, that is between bullying and attacking the messenger rather than the message... Thank you!

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