I understand. It's just years of experience in online debates
   and discussions through the years. What works? What doesn't? I
   was surprised that this works best in an online
   argument/debate/discussion:

   a) Speak to the person as if they're my friend. There are no
   enemies here. If I'm talking to you, you are already my friend.

   b) Speak from true stories from my past. Make them interesting
   and honest and tie into discussion.

   c) Play by my own rules. If someone tries to get me into a
   "logical fallacy" debate, I can play along for a little while,
   because the rules are simple enough but then one has to get
   beyond the game. I try to get beyond the game to the person on
   the other side of the Internet. Sometimes, with hardened
   long-time debaters, this can take hours.

   d) Be prepared to lose the battle to win the war. It's not a
   war. It's a game. It's play. Sometimes the other party doesn't
   remember that conversation is a game at its source. Roleplaying
   as it were. Find ways to remind them that "I mean you no harm".
   Give them the trophy after giving them a decent battle because:

   e) The game doesn't end with the debate and some people just
   want to hear the words, "You beat me. You win." At that point,
   I've made a friend that will be there for future debates about
   future topics.