@Imperious:
Look up the Socratic technique on the internet.
Ew. I mean, she’s cute, but she IS my sister.
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No, really. The Socratic method is basically this:
Bright Shiny Eyed Individual (bright and perky): “Hi! I want to write a guide!”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard (lounging in chair): “Oh, GOOOOOOOD! :-D”
Not So Bright Shiny Eyed Indvidual (a bit less shiny eyed sixty hours later): “OK, here’s the first draft!”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard (waking up from long nap): “Oh, this won’t work at all.” (slice chop wham bam. Horribly enough, criticisms are accurate.)
Slightly Downcast Individual (a bit downcast): “Er, um . . . okay . . . let me rewrite this . . .”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard (sipping a nice cool drink): “Oh, yeah, you do that. Heh heh. I mean, um, I look forward to it!”
Exhausted and Bitter Individual (bags under eyes): “Okay, here’s the second draft. It has all the facts and figures and extrapolations and projections.”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard (looking up from comfy chair): “Oh, but you missed . . .” (slice chop wham bam. Horribly enough, criticisms are accurate.)
Angered and Embittered and Exhaused Individual (suicidal): “I can’t do any more! I give up!”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard (cheerfully): “Oh, you look like you could use some cheering up. How about we both sit back on these comfy ass chairs and snooze in the sunlight, while waiting for a Bright Eyed Individual to come along?”
Evil Old Socratic Bastard II (cheerfully): “Oh, that sounds QUITE fun!”
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Works for politics too!
Basically, you sit back and relax, let someone else make all the arguments, and you poke holes in it.