There was once a debate on IIDB about the effectiveness of using ridicule in debating absurd positions.
* One side held the position that it is always wrong to use ridicule because that is not a valid debate strategy and is ultimately self-defeating because the opponents only dig-in if you ridicule them.
* The other side agreed that ridicule is not a valid strategy if your opponent is NOT engaged in an honest debate. If the opponent is not debating in good faith then ridicule can be used to dissuade other people from taking the opponent's position.
Over the last decade, this has become more clear in debating religion, politics, and science. You cannot debate with people who claim the Earth is flat, anti-vaxxers, election deniers, or fascists, because they will not argue in good faith, their goal isn't the discovery of truth but influence through propaganda.
Sartre understood this well.
There is also research on using ridicule as a political weapon
Also see: Rules for radicals rule #5 "Ridicule is man's most powerful weapon
* One side held the position that it is always wrong to use ridicule because that is not a valid debate strategy and is ultimately self-defeating because the opponents only dig-in if you ridicule them.
* The other side agreed that ridicule is not a valid strategy if your opponent is NOT engaged in an honest debate. If the opponent is not debating in good faith then ridicule can be used to dissuade other people from taking the opponent's position.
Over the last decade, this has become more clear in debating religion, politics, and science. You cannot debate with people who claim the Earth is flat, anti-vaxxers, election deniers, or fascists, because they will not argue in good faith, their goal isn't the discovery of truth but influence through propaganda.
Sartre understood this well.
SARTRE “Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.”
There is also research on using ridicule as a political weapon
Also see: Rules for radicals rule #5 "Ridicule is man's most powerful weapon