In contrast to Tannen s beliefs, I think that when people talk things out, many times there will be a positive outcome. Just because people disagree does not mean they break out in an outrage. Some fights do get out of hand, but many are carried out very calmly. These are the battles that we truly win. However, I do agree with Tannen in that many times people argue just for the sake of arguing.
People come to a point where they stop listening and just start throwing words out onto the table.
These are the arguments in which little is resolved. Although I believe argument is healthy in many cases, sometimes it is inappropriate. There are many things that you can t change about a person, and people should realize this before they waste their time and energy. As Tannen points out towards the end of her chapter, there are more than two sides to many stories. I do accept some of Tannen s beliefs, but overall I think that she could have carried her argument out in a much more effective manner.