Is it worth winning an argument?

Related to this and this.

“Winning an argument” is the most stressful thing I have to deal with in most of my presentations. After each presentation in my class, there is a part called: “Discussion with your audience”. And there are some students who love to find my seemingly “flaws” and press on them, until I’m unable to explain myself. One or two particular students are very good at it. And I always end up feeling exhausted and horrible, whether I win or not.

And in my high school time, my classmates loved to argue exactly the same manner as those above-mentioned students. A typical argument started like this: A presented a point, B disagreed and poked a “confusing” question. A answered it and gave out their ideas supporting their argument. B tried to dismiss all A’s statements and poke more question (or questions?). The cycle continued until someone (usually a teacher) cried out: “OK! Everyone agrees to disagree!” My classmates considered winning an argument was an art of conversation, and inability to win an argument meant no success in life.

I’m never good at arguing. So before I found Fluther, I avoided all kinds of argument and considered myself a failure. Whenever there was a discussion and I stated a point, my point was dismissed mercilessly. I came to accept everything they said, whether I agreed or not.

Do you think it’s worth winning an argument? And inability to win an argument means total failure?