Fellow blogger Mkilany recently introduced me to a new term “Byzantine Argument“. He explained it is an argument just for argument’s sake. I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. To find the truth, both sides of an argument must be represented. This is a basic debate principal, and it is also applied in a court of law. The prosecution argues the accused is guilty, and the defense presents the opposing argument. The defense lawyer doesn’t necessarily have to believe their client is innocent.
I will occasionally play the “Devil’s Advocate” to keep the conversation interesting. It means taking the opposite side of any presented argument even if you don’t believe in it. This has nothing to do with the devil per-say. The devil only appears in the expression because it is the traditional (mythical) agent of discord.
There comes a point when both arguments have been fully presented, and it is time to end the debate before it gets repetitive. This has nothing to do with convincing the other side of your point of view. People usualy have their mind made up before the conversation starts, and nothing you do or say will change it.
I remember very little of a physics class I took in college, other than this conversation. Natalie was my brilliant Lebanese lab partner. The kind that sits pretty while I do all the work. Then again, she had a lovely pair of legs, and a name that starts with an N!
Natalie: (complaining about husband) If I ask him to boil an egg, he will say how long!
Hani: It’s a valid question.
Natalie: An egg boils in 3 minutes
Hani: A refrigerated egg or one at room temperature? How large an egg ? A brown egg or a white egg ? Hard boiled, or runny yolk? I’m assuming it’s a chicken egg?
Natalie: Ha Ha. You’re killing me!
Hani: I think you never asked him to boil an egg.
Natalie: (groans) If I say 1+1=2, you will disagree.
Hani: 1+1 is not always 2
Natalie: What are you talking about?
Hani: What do you get if you add 1 drop of water to another drop of water
Natalie: 2 dr…
Hani: No (shaking head)
Natalie: 1 big drop of water
Hani: Exactly, what have you learned today?
Natalie: (smiling) Not to talk to you about my husband!
Hani: Mission accomplished!
11 Users Commented In This Post
Posted from
1-5-2008 at 15:16:18
LOL… LOL LOL
Thanks for the link tooo
Posted from
1-5-2008 at 15:28:40
LOL Hani .. that was so funny! Guess what, you’ll make a crappy husband one day :)
LOL!!! Seriously funny!
Mkilani Rocks! This dude is awesome!
Posted from
1-5-2008 at 15:57:08
Mkilany, my pleasure.
Qwaider, One of the important prerequisites of being happily married, is to learn to say “yes dear” as often as you breathe. I’m just not a yes-dear type of guy. So I agree with you, but only if you change “will make a crappy husband” to “would make a crappy husband” since it’s not gonna happen.
Posted from
1-5-2008 at 17:00:12
HAHAHAHAHA Hani. Brilliant!
Posted from
1-6-2008 at 08:58:56
hehehehehe
this also goes the other way - men should stop talking about their wives!
Posted from
1-6-2008 at 09:20:12
loool this is so funny :P
Posted from
1-6-2008 at 10:17:56
also one apple plus one orange doesn’t equal a two :)
Posted from
1-6-2008 at 10:18:18
Hahahahhaha, this cracked me up. I’m always in the situation where I’m Natalie, and someone else is being Hani. Except I end up pulling my hair out and screaming in frustration. Natalie took it pretty well :D
Posted from
1-6-2008 at 20:14:27
7aki, thank you.
KJ, agreed, although I find men are less likely to mention the wife, some men at the office would even shy away from saying her name on the phone in front of their coworkers.
Sharkooseh, I aim to please.
Wonders, right on. You tell them!
Hal, anything to make you smile. I find it hard to believe you’d end up the Natalie. Then again I’d be better off being a Natalie myself :P It is difficult to convey the tone of a conversation in writing. It was all in good fun!
Posted from
1-13-2008 at 11:41:16
loool @ the convo! i dont think u’ll handle kids very well Hani, if they reach that “ask-millions-of-questions-a-second” stage, you will make them regret it!
Posted from
1-13-2008 at 22:14:03
Very perceptive VA. I can’t stand most kids. They may be cute for a few minutes, but not so cute after an hour when they start destroying the furniture, fighting with each other, and gnerally making a great deal of noise. Oddly enough it is those very same things that many parents seem to enjoy. I was once part of an experiment where they would make students teach younger students science. It was a total disaster. The younger students (grade 2) kept running around the class screaming, one of them wanted to potty ! All respect to my parents for putting up with me at that time :)
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