Communication Quote by Ben Carson
““The best way to respond to distracting personal attacks is to practice bringing the conversation back to the issue at hand. Never fall into the trap of engaging in personal attacks while letting the topic of conversation slip into the background. Doing so allows your opponent to escape the need to explain her position.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Medical conference, 2015
Deflect personal attacks by refocusing on substantive issues, preventing opponents from evading explanation.
In simple terms: Redirect attacks to core issues.
Key Takeaway
Stay on topic during debates.
Themes
debate
personal attacks
focus
Mood
strategic
calm
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- political debates
- public speaking
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
argumentation tactics
communication strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- How to handle relentless personal attacks?
- What techniques keep discussions productive?
A Different Perspective
May not always be possible to steer conversation.
![“The reality is [Donald] Trump is just better at this game than they are. Blaming the media may be a convenient foil, but the reality is, he's played the free media game better than they have. He has used the personal attack meme against them and literally created memes about them. They need to…” quote by Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/267/chris-hayes-2208_blame_the-reality-is-donald-trump-is-just-bett_760295.jpg)
