I have learned, as most of us have, that communication technique has everything to do with how well information is received.
But IMO we need to stop acting like that’s a good thing. It’s an unfortunate reality.
Niceness in not a virtue. We should be careful not to elevate it to such.
Truth is more important that how something makes you feel. Honestly is more primary than politeness.
The problem with believing people based on how well they communicate should be obvious: if someone can communicate well, it might alter the chances towards more expertise, but it is not a guarantee.
At a certain point we start fetishizing polite communication.
This isn’t wholly different from liking people more because they are good looking.
It’s inevitable that people act that way, but we shouldn’t celebrate it, should try to resist it.
I've struggled with this myself and I've also found that stating truth and using civil words are not mutually exclusive.
Like you wrote, the words used can promote truth to a greater or lesser extent. Almost always a polite but confident phrasing increases the transmission and replication of truth.
It does take more work. It does take increased linguistic and emotional skill (and work). It gets easier with practice.
I have learned, as most of us have, that communication technique has everything to do with how well information is received.
But IMO we need to stop acting like that’s a good thing. It’s an unfortunate reality.
Niceness in not a virtue. We should be careful not to elevate it to such.
Truth is more important that how something makes you feel. Honestly is more primary than politeness.
The problem with believing people based on how well they communicate should be obvious: if someone can communicate well, it might alter the chances towards more expertise, but it is not a guarantee.
At a certain point we start fetishizing polite communication.
This isn’t wholly different from liking people more because they are good looking.
It’s inevitable that people act that way, but we shouldn’t celebrate it, should try to resist it.