Arguing Small and Strong

If you’re passionate about a certain ideology or way of life, it’s very upsetting to hear others harshly criticize anything to do with that ideology or way of life. And so the natural, instinctive reaction is to completely deny all of their claims. However, it can often be more truthful, and/or more strategically wise, to make a smaller argument.

For example, when people argue that shechitah is cruel and should be banned, many people are tempted to respond by arguing that it’s entirely painless. ...