Whenever you’re trying to argue a point you firmly believe in, you should be able to articulate the counter point just as well as your opponent. Understanding the position you’re arguing against is equally important to understanding your own, otherwise it’s easy to forget what it is you’re even arguing against.

A great example of how people fail to accomplish this today is to look at the popular radio talkshow hosts. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are unable to articulate the arguments of their ideological adversaries; they simply believe their opponents are seeking the destruction of the country. In reality, democrats and republicans wish for the exact same things (prosperous country, wealthy citizens, civil rights for citizens, etc…) they just have different ways of going about these things.