Argument Tactic #26 "It's just that..."

As we all know, all conversations are competitions and to

win, you need to know all the moves. Today's tactic is one

that is used regularly by a lot of people. It will allow one to 

turn an isolated argument into something broad and unrelated 

to inspire pity in the other person.

Example:

Person 1: I don't want to mow the lawns

Person 2: But you said you would and I did it last time

Person 1: Pause

               (looks down and takes in a deep breath)

               It's just that... 

               Pause

               you know, with what happened with Grandma

               and everything, things have been really tough,

               and I just really don't feel like mowing the lawns

Person 2: Oh of course. Fair enough. You just sit down

               and don't worry yourself. Here, have a Popsicle 

               Slushy

Also try it in intellectual arguments:

Person 1: Stupid Palestine. Woop, Israel

Person 2: Well the Israeli government keeps driving Palestinians

               off their land while not recognizing Palestine as a state.

               It's a very complex situation.

Person 1: Pause

               (Extremely serious expression)

               It's just that...

               Pause

               the Holocaust and everything...

Person 2: Oh, I guess you have a point, the Holocaust was bad.

               Do you want to have the rest of my Popsicle Slushy?

Now you might think this is emotionally manipulative but the world

of social interaction is a jungle and you need to be prepared.