Tuition Paid, Lessons Learned

Generally, an argument or position is not strengthened by saying someone else agrees with you or came to a similar conclusion unless that person’s opinion has weight with the audience and has approved use of his name. In fact, it can weaken an argument to rely on the words or opinion of another person because it suggests that a person’s argument or position does not stand up on its own. Further, dangers can exist in claiming to speak for another person: the person might feel that his position was misconstrued or misunderstood, or might not appreciate that the information was shared or the context under which the information was shared.