--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that, in general, when you want…" description: "\"I think that, in general, when you want to make a case, It important to be as clear and honest and persuasive as you can be about stating the opposite ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/joseph-badaracco-32512_honest_i-think-that-in-general-when-you-want-to_1600049.png" --- # I think that, in general, when you want to make a case, It… ![“I think that, in general, when you want to make a case, It important to be as clear and honest and persuasive as you can be about stating the opposite case, rather than attacking strawmen.” quote by Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/joseph-badaracco-32512_honest_i-think-that-in-general-when-you-want-to_1600049.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/joseph-badaracco-32512_honest_i-think-that-in-general-when-you-want-to_1600049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/joseph-badaracco-32512_honest_i-think-that-in-general-when-you-want-to_1600049.png) > “I think that, in general, when you want to make a case, It important to be as clear and honest and persuasive as you can be about stating the opposite case, rather than attacking strawmen.” [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective argumentation requires honestly presenting the opposing view rather than attacking weak versions of it. **In simple terms:** Present the opposite case honestly. Key Takeaway Use honest counterarguments. Themes critical thinking debate integrity Mood analytical strategic Type instructional practical When to use this quote - business meeting - academic discussion - policy debate - legal cross‑examination Key Concepts strawman fallacy argumentation strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage open dialogue? - What benefits arise from honest opposition? A Different Perspective People may resist acknowledging the opposite side. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Persuasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasive/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I am very clear and very honest. 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Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [Also, and this may sound naïve, but since my early days in journalism, I've felt that getting as close as possible to truth, revealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/also-and-this-may-sound-na-ve-but-since-my-early-days-in-journalism-i/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [You must attach yourself spiritually to what you have placed in your imagination as a future fact, and never allow anyone, anything, any circumstance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-attach-yourself-spiritually-to-what-you-have-placed-in-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/keep-the-corners-of-your-mouth-turned-up-speak-in-a-low-persuasive/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More by Joseph Badaracco > [Humanism has many meanings, but what attracts me about it is that it encourages men and women to take a broad view of situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/humanism-has-many-meanings-but-what-attracts-me-about-it-is-that-it/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [Workplace culture within which personal growth and professional development are most likely to thrive is basically, an environment that gives people the chance or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/workplace-culture-within-which-personal-growth-and-professional/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [Hoarding knowledge ultimately erodes your power. If you know something important, the way to get power is by sharing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/hoarding-knowledge-ultimately-erodes-your-power-if-you-know-something/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a teacher, but a turning point for me was attending HBS as an MBA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-ve-wanted-to-be-a-teacher-but-a-turning/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [Communication can't always follow the top-down model. 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Stop, get a sense of the political terrain, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/don-t-throw-up-your-hands-or-abandon-your-values-when-you-run-into/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [In today's environment, hoarding knowledge ultimately erodes your power. If you know something very important, the way to get power is by actually sharing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/in-today-s-environment-hoarding-knowledge-ultimately-erodes-your/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) [Explore all 15 Joseph Badaracco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) ## More Honest quotes > [How strong is a faith that can't stand up to a few honest questions?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-davis/how-strong-is-a-faith-that-can-t-stand-up-to-a-few-honest-questions/) [Kenneth C. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-davis/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. 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If you're honest about it, most people wince, but say it had to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/there-s-a-certain-edge-about-cruelty-if-you-re-honest-about-it-most/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [I used to not be really honest with girls and then I dropped a song called Starry Room and then I started turning over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-smith/i-used-to-not-be-really-honest-with-girls-and-then-i-dropped-a-song/) [Jaden Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-smith/) > [Fuck perfect, I want honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djsovviet/fuck-perfect-i-want-honest/) Djsovviet > [If I'm honest, I think everything is funny. You've just got to find the right way in. 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