# The Importance of Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of constructing arguments and counter-arguments. If you 
are not adept at rhetoric, you can more easily be intellectually subdued. 
If you talk to someone about a specific topic and the other person's 
rhetoric is more advanced, you are likely to fall short of finding ways to 
counter the arguments. And even though questioning your beliefs is 
important, if it is not the insights or facts within the arguments that 
convince you but rather the rhetoric, it can lead to adopting flawed 
beliefs. This works especially well when the flawed beliefs are easier to 
live by.

On the other hand, being very competent at rhetoric yourself can also be a 
danger. If you are unaware and use it to shield yourself off from other 
people's beliefs, you might take advantage of a flawed argument someone 
gave you to dismiss everything this person has said, even if points were 
made that you could learn from. Another risk of having a strong rhetoric is 
that you have an easier time claiming the higher moral ground with how you 
are able to frame things. This gets people to validate you intellectually, 
making it easier for you to feel at ease being passive. In the end, actions 
speak louder than words. As long as you are aware of this, you will prefer 
to lead by example rather than winning debates.