--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's so much easier to debate people when…" description: "\"It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend that they hold moronic position that they don't actually believe.\" — Glenn Greenwald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg" --- # It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend… ![“It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend that they hold moronic position that they don't actually believe.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg) > “It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend that they hold moronic position that they don't actually believe.” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Debating a straw‑man argument simplifies conflict but misrepresents true beliefs. **In simple terms:** Argue against false positions is easy. Key Takeaway Engage with genuine viewpoints. Themes debate integrity communication Mood analytical serious Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - political forums - online comment sections - academic panels Key Concepts strawman misrepresentation Questions to Reflect On - Why do we create false opponents? - How can we encourage honest dialogue? A Different Perspective Complex ideas require nuanced discussion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Moronic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moronic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [It is far easier to debate about realistic painting than to paint one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-babailov/it-is-far-easier-to-debate-about-realistic-painting-than-to-paint-one/) [Igor Babailov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-babailov/) > [Do not be intimidated by a smart person. It is easier to debate a smart person than to argue with an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-dale-adams/do-not-be-intimidated-by-a-smart-person-it-is-easier-to-debate-a/) [Randall Dale Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-dale-adams/) > [I only want to debate people who are more powerful than I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-only-want-to-debate-people-who-are-more-powerful-than-i-am/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [When permitted to listen to alternative opinions and engage in substantive debate, people have been known to change their minds. It can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-permitted-to-listen-to-alternative-opinions-and-engage-in/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I would love to see a revival of what we had against the war in the '60s - we could do these teach-ins on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-would-love-to-see-a-revival-of-what-we-had-against-the-war-in-the/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [How can you have a reasonable debate with people who are constantly changing the panic? They are moving the panic to a greater wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/how-can-you-have-a-reasonable-debate-with-people-who-are-constantly/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [If people who cherish freedom, who know the importance of mutual respect and are aware of the imperative necessity to establish a constructive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/if-people-who-cherish-freedom-who-know-the-importance-of-mutual/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [“You can't have a "debate" with people who constantly tell crazy lies. Pretending you can only legitimates their crazy lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kotsko/you-can-t-have-a-debate-with-people-who-constantly-tell-crazy-lies/) Adam Kotsko > [The debate's over. The people who dispute the international consensus on global warming are in the same category now with the people who think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-debate-s-over-the-people-who-dispute-the-international-consensus/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The Democrats' response throughout the healthcare debate? Give the people more statistics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-democrats-response-throughout-the-healthcare-debate-give-the/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [It’s just simply the fact that the NSA does not think anybody should be able to communicate anywhere on the Earth without them being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-just-simply-the-fact-that-the-nsa-does-not-think-anybody-should/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [What we revealed is that this spying system is devoted not to terrorists, but is directed to innocent people around the world. None of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/what-we-revealed-is-that-this-spying-system-is-devoted-not-to/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [What state surveillance actually is is best understood by the NSA's own documents and own words, which I think as you know I happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/what-state-surveillance-actually-is-is-best-understood-by-the-nsa-s/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The key question: will the NSA continue to monitor hundreds of millions of people without any suspicion? Under Obama's proposals: Yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-key-question-will-the-nsa-continue-to-monitor-hundreds-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Edward Snowden: The Whistleblower Behind the NSA Surveillance Revelations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/edward-snowden-the-whistleblower-behind-the-nsa-surveillance/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend that they hold moronic position that they don't actually believe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-when-you-can-pretend-that-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-when-you-can-pretend-that-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/glenn-greenwald-1215_believe_it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-whe_2325851.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's so much easier to debate people when you can pretend that they hold moronic position that they don't…” — Glenn Greenwald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Glenn Greenwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's so much easier to debate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-when-you-can-pretend-that-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-so-much-easier-to-debate-people-when-you-can-pretend-that-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```