When you see someone being overly defensive, what do you think?

Do you admire them for their willingness to defend themselves? If they didn’t defend themselves, would you see that as a sign of weakness?

Do you see the defensiveness, itself, as a sign of weakness. Would they be so defensive if they didn’t think they were so weak?

Suppose the defense consisted of ad hominem attacks or appeals to authority—would that seem persuasive to you? Suppose the ad hominem attacks were a response to an initial ad hominem attack? Would that make it more legitimate?

If you are attacked, do you think it’s better to hold fire or to go instantly on the counter-attack? When deciding this, do you consider what non-combatants will think of your strategy, or is that irrelevant?