Everyone knows at least one person who’s impossible to deal with in an argument. And that’s unfortunately not because they’re particularly good at debating, but rather because they’re so absurd that there’s simply nothing to gain from the conversation.

I’d say that you should never argue with fools since they’re incapable of rational thought, or applying any common sense. Not to mention that some can be downright ignorant at times.

Here are all the other possible reasons:

1. They’re ignorant

   They’re ignorant because they’re either intentionally avoiding information (willful ignorance), or because they simply don’t know any better.

   The latter is forgivable since they don’t realize how much they don’t know, but the former is despicable because they know they should be more informed, but deliberately don’t do so to ease their mind and reduce anxiety.
   
   Sadly, realizing you’re purposefully disregarding data still creates stress, and will lead to more, and larger issues over time.

   Never argue with an ignorant person, especially not if they’re willfully ignorant.

2. You can’t argue with an irrational individual

   You simply can’t argue with an irrational person since you can’t reason with them, and because they aren’t logical in the slightest. Both of these traits are required if you want to have a civilized debate wherein both parties become more knowledgeable.

   When employing feelings, there’s always an excuse, and never something concrete to base your conversation around. It’s simply impossible to get to the truth this way, since your emotions are variable, and are constantly subject to change. On the flip side, facts remain truthful, no matter how you’re feeling.

3. They don’t want to understand you

   

   You can be the best instructor in the world, but you simply can’t teach those who are not looking to understand you. They won’t try to look at the circumstances from your perspective, and will automatically assume that you’re wrong while they’re right.

   Ignorance can explain why they don’t want to comprehend you. They might be so biased and prejudiced that they can’t fathom being wrong, and that someone else might know or understand something that they don’t.

4. They’re not capable of understanding you

   You shouldn’t be looking to argue just for the sake of winning the argument or being right. The goal should be to learn something novel, and preferably to teach the other party something new and valuable as well.

   This automatically means that you shouldn’t debate them since they’re incapable of comprehending you, especially those who are extremely naive or biased. It’ll simply lead to frustration on both ends.

5. It’s a waste of energy

   Ask yourself this, why would you waste your energy on something that’s not going to yield anything but irritation?

   That’s just not a smart way of conducting yourself in life. That vigor can be used much more productively and effectively when trying to do or change something that is actually under our control.

   People can only be aided when they want to be helped. If they don’t wish to discover anything new or gain a better understanding of a topic, then no amount of goodwill or applied force can make them understand.

6. It’s a waste of time

   

   It’s a waste of time arguing with folks who only listen to their feelings instead of applying logic to gain a better apprehension of the subject at hand, and of each other.

   You’ll discover nothing unique, can’t teach anything novel, and the only thing you can obtain is winning the debate. That’s not worth it since it’ll simply validate your insecurity and need to be right to gain some external validation that should come from within without having to argue with those around you.

7. You’ll get annoyed

   Just imagine how annoying it is to deal with a person who’s not engaging in a conversation in good faith. On the contrary, picture that their only goal is being proven right, regardless if they’re correct or not.

   That seems far too pesky to me to even bother trying. Try to put in the time and effort for those who value your time and presence instead of wasting it.

8. You’re the fool if you argue with them

   You’re both the fool and look like one if you’re trying to argue with foolish people because you’re not going to change them, nor are you going to make them understand what they’re doing incorrectly.

   Nobody likes to look like a moron. That’s why you’re better off talking to caring people who want to gain new insights instead of those trying to be proven right, or attempting to project their insecurities and biases on other folks.

9. They’ll try to manipulate you

   

   Since they’re not committing to this interaction in good faith, they’re looking to manipulate you for their benefit. Be it in the form of winning the argument, gaslighting you, or dragging you down by deceiving you.

   Needless to say, you shouldn’t make any time, or put any effort in the people who are looking to pull strings for their profit. There’s a surprisingly large amount of individuals with a hidden agenda out there, so always be careful, and mindful about the people you choose to surround yourself with.

10. You’ll be lowering yourself to their level

    If you’re arguing with a foolish person, then you’re lowering yourself to their level since there’s no way they can hold, or value logical observations and facts. You already know they’re going to reason with their emotions and twist it in such a manner that they’re never wrong, and always the victim.

    Don’t drop to their level, even if it would mean that you could win the debate. That would simply show your insecurity and your desire to validate yourself by dragging others down, even when right.

    Birds of a feather flock together, which means that like attracts like. Thus, better to let foolish folks search for other fools to keep them company rather than wasting your valuable time.