The Fastest Way To End An Argument

When someone just won’t shut up, sometimes, flat-out interrupting them is the only way to get a word in—when that fails, honesty works, too. (Here’s how to accomplish that.)

But what should you do when you’re arguing with someone who refuses to even acknowledge your thoughts? Well, even in the face of cold, hard facts, some people are unwilling to listen to the truth. And when you’re dealing with this kind of person, it’s often easier just to avoid the conversation altogether rather than enter into an all-out verbal brawl.

We recently wrote about ways to avoid uncomfortable conversations, particularly when it involves politics, and the right way to argue with an a-hole, but here’s a tiny hack, courtesy of Reddit user u/nfhii. If ever you’re caught in the middle of a heated argument you want out of, here’s a phrase you’ve heard a million times that you can use as a response to any point they make: “Fair enough.”

It works because of its simplicity; you’re acknowledging them without nudging them for more information. “‘Fair enough’ shows you understand their point and the argument is resolved,” u/toesandmoretoes writes. “‘Agree to disagree’ shows you don’t give a fuck about finding/teaching the truth and just want the argument to stop.” In other words, any other phrasing might only stoke the fires.

But what if they’re absolutely wrong and their views are anything but fair? Well, the message is the same. Acknowledge that you’ve at least heard them and quickly transition into any other topic than the one at hand, if you’re not in the mood to put up a fight. (Or use this advice as an Evil Hack to get yourself out of any conversation, period.)

And when all else fails, or their views are so at odds with your own with no means of reconciling the two, then just be honest and exit as soon as you feel uncomfortable. (Or quickly defer to one of our many excuses to quickly exit any awkward social setting.)

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