在网上，言论方面的不文明行为特别常见。原本严肃的讨论也很容易转变为攻击和谩骂，因此很多人都经历过网上吵架。为什么会这样呢？
Why it's pointless to argue on the internet
by Olivia Goldhill
Wildly inaccurate facts and spurious arguments are unavoidable features of social media. Yet no matter how wrong someone is, or just how much counter-evidence you have at your disposal, starting arguments on the internet rarely gets anyone to change their mind.
wildly /ˈwaɪldli/ adv. 失控地、极端地（由wild加后缀-ly变成副词）
inaccurate /ɪnˈækjurət/ adj. 不准确的、有错误的（由accurate加上表示否定的前缀in-）
spurious /ˈspjʊəriəs/ adj. 伪造的、谬误的
argument /ˈɑːɡjumənt/ n. 论据、论证（由argue加后缀-ment变成名词）
unavoidable /ˌʌnəˈvɔɪdəb(ə)l/ adj. 不可避免的（由avoid加后缀-able变成形容词avoidable，再加上表示否定的前缀un-）
feature /ˈfiːtʃə(r)/ n. 特征、特点
yet /jet/ adv. 尽管如此
no matter 不管、无论
counter- /ˈkaʊntə/ 前缀，表示“反”
evidence /ˈevɪd(ə)ns/ n. 证据（counter-evidence指反驳用的证据）
at one's disposal /dɪˈspəʊz(ə)l/ 可供某人使用
argument /ˈɑːɡjumənt/ n. 争吵（由argue加后缀-ment变成名词）
Nearly a century-and-a-half ago, British philosopher John Stuart Mill explained, in a few clear sentences, why certain arguments simply won't go anywhere. As historian Robert Saunders notes, Mill's analysis neatly applies to heated and pointless internet debates.
philosopher /fɪˈlɒsəfə(r)/ n. 哲学家
sentence /ˈsentəns/ n. 句子
simply /ˈsɪmpli/ adv. 完全地（表示强调）
historian /hɪˈstɔːriən/ n. 历史学家
analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/ n. 分析
neatly /ˈniːtli/ adv. 整齐地、简单明了地（由neat加后缀-ly变成副词）
apply /əˈplaɪ/ v. 适用
heated /ˈhiːtɪd/ adj. 热烈的、激烈的
pointless /ˈpɔɪntləs/ adj. 没有意义的
debate /dɪˈbeɪt/ n. 辩论、争论
Mill highlights the often overlooked reality that many opinions aren't based on facts at all, but feelings. And so, contradictory points of information don't shift emotionally rooted arguments, but only cause people to dig deeper into their emotions to hold onto those views.
highlight /ˈhaɪlaɪt/ v. 突出、强调
overlook /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk/ v. 忽视
reality /riˈæləti/ n. 现实（由real加后缀-ity变成名词）
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ n. 情感、情绪
contradictory /ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt(ə)ri/ adj. 对立的
shift /ʃɪft/ v. 改变
emotionally /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n(ə)li/ adv. 情绪上（由emotional加后缀-ly变成副词）
root /ruːt/ v. 生根、扎根
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成、使得
emotion /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n/ n. 情绪
hold onto 保持
Intuitively（依靠直觉地）, most people recognize that emotions motivate opinions, and behave accordingly. We use rhetorical（浮夸的） techniques, such as verbal flourishes and confident mannerisms（习惯动作）, to help convince others of our views.
motivate /ˈməʊtɪveɪt/ v. 激励、激发
accordingly /əˈkɔːdɪŋli/ adv. 相应地
technique /tekˈniːk/ n. 技巧
verbal /ˈvɜːb(ə)l/ adj. 口头的、言语上的
flourish /ˈflʌrɪʃ/ n. 夸张的动作（verbal flourish指夸张的言语）
confident /ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)nt/ adj. 自信的
convince /kənˈvɪns/ v. 劝说、说服
Studies reinforce these instincts about the importance of emotions. For example, patients who have brain damage in areas responsible for processing emotions also struggle to make decisions, pointing to the importance of emotions in deciding between two options.
reinforce /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/ v. 增强、强化
instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ n. 本能、直觉
responsible /rɪˈspɒnsəb(ə)l/ for 负责…的
process /ˈprəʊses/ v. 处理
struggle /ˈstrʌɡ(ə)l/ v. 挣扎
And chartered psychologist Rob Yeung, whose book How to Stand Out emphasizes the effectiveness of emotions, rather than logic, in convincing others to agree with you, points to research showing that the use of metaphors motivates people to make decisions.★
chartered /ˈtʃɑːtəd/ adj. 有执业资格的
psychologist /saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst/ n. 心理学家
stand out 脱颖而出、崭露头角
emphasize /ˈemfəsaɪz/ v. 强调
effectiveness /ɪˈfektɪvnəs/ n. 有效性、效力（由effect加后缀-ive变成形容词effective，再加后缀-ness变成名词）
logic /ˈlɒdʒɪk/ n. 逻辑
metaphor /ˈmetəfɔː(r)/ n. 比喻
★ 这句话里whose book <EM>How to Stand Out</EM> emphasizes the effectiveness of emotions, rather than logic, in convincing others to agree with you这么长一段都是插入语
Online, when we can't see others' faces or their moods, it's easy to lose sight of these emotional instincts. Instead of engaging with and respecting others' feelings, there can be a tendency to bombard those with opposing views with "facts."★
lose sight of something 不再看见、忘记
emotional /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adj. 情绪的（由emotion加后缀-al变成形容词）
engage /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/ v. 接触、使参与
tendency /ˈtendənsi/ n. 倾向、趋向
bombard /bɒmˈbɑːd/ v. 轰炸（这里指密集地发送）
oppose /əˈpəʊz/ v. 不同意、反对
★ 句尾有两个with，后一个with才是和bombard搭配的，而those with opposing views是一个整体
But even seemingly solid points of information, such as the periodic table, are often grounded in subjective perspectives; a broad philosophical theory called "social constructivism" argues that facts are always a reflection of socially constructed values.
seemingly /ˈsiːmɪŋli/ adv. 看上去
solid /ˈsɒlɪd/ adj. 牢固的、可靠的
periodic /ˌpɪəriˈɒdɪk/ adj. 周期的、周期性的（the periodic table指化学上的元素周期表）
be grounded in something 以…为根据、以…为基础
subjective /səbˈdʒektɪv/ adj. 主观的
perspective /pəˈspektɪv/ n. （看问题的）角度
philosophical /ˌfɪləˈsɒfɪk(ə)l/ adj. 哲学的（由philosophy加后缀-ical变成形容词）
theory /ˈθɪəri/ n. 理论
constructivism /kənˈstrʌktɪvɪz(ə)m/ n. 建构主义
argue /ˈɑːɡjuː/ v. 论证、主张
reflection /rɪˈflekʃ(ə)n/ n. 映象、倒影（由reflect加后缀-ion变成名词）
socially /ˈsəʊʃ(ə)li/ adv. 社会地（由social加后缀-ly变成副词）
construct /kənˈstrʌkt/ v. 建造、构建
values /ˈvæljuːz/ n. 价值观
There are often multiple ways of interpreting a single point of information and so, even though some people might like to think they're right about everything, there are surprisingly few issues to which there's a definitely correct opinion.
multiple /ˈmʌltɪp(ə)l/ adj. 多个的
interpret /ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/ v. 解读
surprisingly /səˈpraɪzɪŋli/ adv. 令人惊讶地
Perhaps there's little hope of convincing others on the internet to change their minds. But Mill pointed to another approach.
approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/ n. 方法、途径
Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it'll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There's a slight possibility that, after all, you're the one who's wrong.
seek /siːk/ v. 寻求
open /ˈəʊp(ə)n/ adj. 持开放态度的
seek out 搜寻
contradict /ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/ v. 跟…矛盾、跟…对立
steadfast /ˈstedfɑːst/ adj. 坚定不移的
point of view 观点
turn out 结果是
grasp /ɡrɑːsp/ n. 理解
slight /slaɪt/ adj. 微小的
after all 终究
（如果您使用的是火狐浏览器，可能会发现某些行的最后一个单词被分成两半了，这是简书系统的Bug，换成Chrome或其他浏览器就能正常显示了。）
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