"Never argue with a man whose job depends on not being convinced.” - H.L. Mencken

 "Never argue with a man whose job depends on not being convinced.” - H.L. Mencken (1806-1956). In Christopher Matthews, Hardball: How Politics Is Played - Told by One Who Knows the Game, 2, 1988

When is it worth trying to convince someone, and when is it not worth the effort? It is perhaps too simple to say that this always depends on the odds of them being convinced, because it may be very important that they be convinced - Important enough that the odds don't matter, you still have to try. However, in some cases, this will never work. That is, if the person you are trying to convince has a vested interest in not being convinced, then it is very likely that you should not waste your time trying to convince him. Instead, you should aim to change his mind by some other means than argument. You may want to try and convince him not that you are right and he is wrong, but that he actually has a vested interest in holding to your view. You may try and direct him to do what you want by convincing him, not of the truth or strength of your side of the argument, but of its benefit to him. Appeal to the selfish side of a person, if you cannot appeal to the logical, impersonal, and reasonable. On the other hand, if this tactic will not succeed, then perhaps you should try to aim at some goal, instead of some change of mind. That is, if there is a reason that you want to win the argument which is beyond merely the desire for victory, then it is time to consider alternate ways of succeeding in that goal. Don't waste time trying to do this, and instead find a different way. 

This quote tells us that not all arguments can be won, even if we have all the proof in the world. Disagreements are not things that exist in a vacuum. They are touched, and affected by, all the surrounding factors of life. This quote teaches us that when we are involved in an argument we cannot win, we should ask why that is. It might be that we are simply wrong, and we are the ones whose job depends on our getting it right, or it may be that we cannot win because our preferred outcome is unacceptable. Remember that what we accuse others of is often what we ourselves are doing, and that flexibility of action and clarity of vision are often more useful in an argument than merely being correct. 

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