How to Debate Leftists and Destroy Them: 11 Rules for Winning the Argument

Yes, the headline of my review is my opinion, but go on YouTube, and Ben slays it. This is a quick read, and a good one to go back to for conservatives who know in their heart are right, but feel like they can never win an argument despite this. I had this feeling all growing up, and you can imagine how tough it was for me in High School, swarmed by left-thinking students, where our teachers did nothing but encourage leftist policies and mindsets. Any debate was an immediate loss for me, so I just kept quiet, wondering if maybe I really was bigoted, racist, and homophobic. I knew in my heart I wasn't, but I really couldn't fight back with my classmates. I grew from that and matured, and realized that my beliefs and ideas were backed by solid facts and evidence, and made common sense. I was happy with what I believed government's true role was and how it should really be involved in our lives. My beliefs, I knew were good and moral. However, I still could not debate... This book is fantastic. It's short and concise, and you have ample material online to see Ben Shapiro's debate system against the left work in full steam. Yes, the Piers Morgan gun control debate was fascinating...I was blown away. I also watch people such as Milo Yiannopoulos and Adam Corolla debate the same way. Larry Elder is another good name to look up. You finish watching their debates and speeches knowing that they have a point, and they could tear down any ridiculous Leftist so quickly it's unbelievable. Thanks, Ben, I'll be looking back on this book quite often.

Shapirio gets to the heart of the problem. He says that the left has an unearned sense of moral superiority and that they frame all issues in terms of what they claim are indisputable facts and anyone who refutes their facts are either stupid or greedy or evil. They demonize people. They tie in all arguments with moral superiority and emotion. Lying to support their cause is OK. If you disagree with them you are stupid, mean or corrupt. Example. MItt Romney's company bought out other companies and employees lost their jobs and health insurance. When the wife of a former employee dies of cancer it was Romney who caused her death. If you are for Romney then you support job loss, and the resulting death from cancer he caused. So you are heartless. The left is characterizing the opposition. The proper response is to point out that making accusations without evidence is dishonest and disgusting. It is bullying. Another Example: After the Sandy Hook shooting Piers Morgan brought in folks on his show from the right and suggested they were evil for disagreeing with him on gun control or calling them "unbelievably stupid." for not caring for the dead of Sandy Hook. Shiparo was on the show and told him it was a bullying tactic for Piers to say that if you disagree with him on gun control you don't care about dead kids at Sandy Hook. Another Example. If you think that man-made global worming is not a problem then you are stupid, greedy and hateful. You should frame the argument not in terms of man-made global warming but rather what can be effectively done globally to stop it. Shapiro gives 11 rules on how to debate leftists. One thing that rings true to me in this book is my memory of how Reagan was called stupid. "He is just a stupid actor" they said over and over and over again, while Jimmy Carter was extremely smart and had an IQ of 145. Well we all know how that turned out. Carter was ineffective and a poor leader, while Reagan was an effective great leader and certainly the best in my lifetime. While the following point is not in the book it supports Shapiro's point. Prohibition was sold on the basis of emotion and science. The scientists said that alcohol was destructive to the stomach, that it reduced productivity at work, caused poverty and violence at home; and the proponents said it was evil. Therefore, if you opposed the idea, you were an alcoholic who liked to beat your wife, spend all her money on booze and you were stupid for not believing to refute science; Oh and by the way you were evil too. Well, we all know how well that Prohibition idea worked. One thing Shapiro does not mention is that youth are more gullible than older folks who have gained some wisdom by living, working and observing people. The youth in this country are being duped and Shapiro's book needs to be read in the colleges and by the youth.

Quick and to the point, there are no wasted words in this book. While it's extremely easy to get through in one sitting, I actually wish this was a format more publishers embraced, especially for the price. Shapiro makes some really good points, especially around how to frame an argument, and backs it up with some examples from his own experiences. It's good, generic advise on how to significantly improve your odds of winning any debate. I'm not a huge fan of the sensationalized title, but the content of the book is substantially better.

Am catching up on this author's books...one at a time...This one although short indeed confirms my suspicions about some of the actions of the Liberals. In my recent readings of the past year or so, the media keeps rearing its ugly head. I stopped watching the major television networks over a year ago and instead turned to books for the 'real' news. Amazing what the American people are being subjected to in the evening broadcasts. This is most informative and speaks to bullying, eleven rules for debating in public with more interesting tips on what to do and what not to do. One of the more enlightening parts for me concerned the university level. I always wondered the manner in which papers would be graded ...well, the author explains this, also. Will continue to read this author's books and am narrowing them down one by one. I also have him on 'follow' now so will not miss a new release. Most highly recommended.

Excelente e prático livro.

This little guide isn't just useful for debating leftists on either side of the pond. The vast majority of Shapiro's 11 rules are applicable in most debate-like situations and regardless of the political leanings of your opponent or topic. Shapiro is a brilliant debatee and successfully managed to distill a powerful toolbox into these few short pages. Well worth the read.

This is a very short book and seems to be a brief alternative to the author’s longer work entitled “Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences Americans”. Despite its brevity it is densely packed with useful information. Anyone who isn’t politically correct will instantly recognise the PC bullying style that Ben Shapiro outlines in this book. PC people exhibit a totalitarian intolerance of the views of others. They have an unearned feeling of superiority but are intellectually devoid of rational argument. And as soon as they start to lose the debate they close it down, either by saying “You can’t say that” or by using totalitarian hate names e.g. racist, Nazi, fascist etc. A must read for anyone who regularly debates with the politically correct.

This is an excellent short read in to how to handle and deal with the "Leftist" garbage that is so dominant in the news and world today. I like how Ben breaks down the basics and fundamentals of any argument or attack and lists guides for how to act and deal with those situations. Evidence based research is the key to understanding any topic and if you have that you have the win. Great book from a great mind. Highly recommended.

Straight to the point. One needs a good understanding of recent US politics, but easily adaptable to others countries. Very good exercise left to the non-US-native reader.