Juliuse Mallari

Ms. Ingram
UWRT1103-009
September 13, 2015
Passion for Devils Advocate Exploratory Essay
A devils advocate is a person who takes an alternative position in a certain argument.
The one who plays the role is often considered a nuisance by constantly disagreeing with a
position that is already an accepted norm. Usually, the victims of a devils advocate become
frustrated and annoyed. But that creates wonders since the victims learn to deal with it by being
able to structure their thoughts further. This phenomenon creates an intelligent conversation.
Whether it be for the sake of creating a debate or to explore the inner workings of a thought
deeper, a devils advocate is necessary in order to engage others in an argumentative discussion.
Being a person who loves to argue and investigate peoples minds, I have a passion for being a
devils advocate.
Playing the character of a devils advocate is a lot of fun. It also takes a lot of imagination
since you have to think of ways to refute an already accepted position in society. It takes a great
deal of skill to be able to assess and analyze a situation in order to create an argument that will
open up peoples minds. It brings me amusement that I could influence peoples thought
processes and emotions just by refuting their position. In High School, I often did this in all of
my English classes. Whenever the class wrote argumentative essays and had peer reviewing, I
would often find myself looking for possible faults that could be used to refute the argument in
their writing. Playing the role helps me explore my peers mind and mentality. Which in turn,
helps me be able to think of how I can help my peers with their writing. Whether it is school

related work or just everyday topics, I tend to play the devils advocate because I enjoy the heat
of the discussion and have fun whilst doing it. Having experienced thrilling debates and
countless arguments, I never got bored of the competitive aura. Ive always yearned to be a part
of the thrill and to see how far I can change peoples positions and mindsets. It helps me analyze
people and create a game plan to further suit my cause. My passion for devils advocacy lets me
acquire the knowledge of how people think. It gives me knowledge that I otherwise cant grasp
without getting into an astonishing argument.
Ive always used devils advocacy for a good purpose. I learned that it helps people be
more concise and knowledgeable on the subjects of their topics. In terms of writing, it gives
writers the idea that not everybody who will read their piece of literature will agree to their
conclusion. Furthermore, playing the role of a devils advocate makes the writer think in a
different way. That in itself improves their cognitive ability and I personally enjoy being a part of
peoples evolutionary processes.
In my circle of friends, Im the one they usually turn to for a realistic diagnostic of their
problems. I give my ability to be a devils advocate a lot of credibility for their trust in my
judgement since I look at the problems in a different angle that they might otherwise never
thought of. I often analyze their problems in a devils advocates point of view. For example, a
friend of mine had problems with his relationship. He comes over one day and tells me
Man, I dont know why shes being difficult. I cant understand what I did wrong to
even fix whats wrong.
Shes doesnt even wanna see me or hang out anymore. He adds.
I dont know bro, maybe shes just not feeling it anymore. Thats the vibe Im getting
from it. I replied.

That very simple thought never popped up in his mindset. He was trying to solve the
problem by thinking of things he thought he did wrong, when in the end, he did nothing wrong.
Being a devils advocate in that situation and thinking that his girlfriend just didnt want to be in
a relationship with him anymore solved the problem. He was prepared a few weeks later when
the inevitable happened.
She texted him with a cold hearted, Im breaking up with you.
Being a devils advocate is tough at times. There are some cases where being a devils
advocate is frowned upon such as that with the situation with my friend. Situations that involve
peoples feelings and well beings is hard to pick apart and dissect because causing harm to others
is not something that I desire. Its also hard to be objective about certain issues when I have a
personal connection with the issue itself. Emotions tend to alert me when the stakes are high, and
tip me off to my biases. For example, talking about religion or politics with others can result in a
heated argument. The argument can then escalate and progress into a closed minded
conversation. The important part is knowing what my bias is and constantly being on the lookout
for information that isnt fitting into my bias.
There are some cases where conversations are just going so smoothly that I dont have
any chances of playing the role. In order to successfully put myself in a position of a devils
advocate, I learned to examine peoples behavioral and thinking patterns. Breaking those patterns
tend to freak out most people and engages them in a discussion. Learning these patterns has
helped improved my mental flexibility, inhibition of behavior, and ultimately, my intelligence
and thinking power.
My passion for being a devils advocate is something that I will always be in possession
of. I love arguing about topics that are very controversial and disputed. It helps me think of ways

to make people tick and engage them in an argumentative discussion. It lets me identify
weaknesses in certain peoples way of thinking and how to exploit it for a good purpose. Taking
an unpopular or unconventional stance on things lets me see how it could or couldnt work even
further. My passion for being a devils advocate makes me more intelligent, and in return, me
being more intelligent helps me become a better devils advocate. Its clearly a win-win situation.