How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Trivializing

Techniques > Resisting persuasion >  Trivializing

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Method

Indicate that what they are saying is unimportant and trivial and consequently not worthy of attention or discussion.

Say that they are exaggerating the importance or significance of things. Call them out for making a mountain out of a molehill.

Example

Oh come on, it's not as important as all that. In fact I wonder why you are wasting time on such matters when there are bigger questions to answer.

Where's the beef? We're talking fat when we should be talking lean.

Yes I know it's got quad processor systems. So what? It's memory and clock speed that really count. 

Discussion

Trivializing reframes what is said as being unimportant by implicitly taking charge of the decision as to what is important and what is not. What is often not mentioned are the criteria by which importance is judged.

Trivializing can also be applied to the person, implying that they are not important, not expert enough or not senior enough for their requests to be heard.

See also

Attack the Person, Decisions, Minimization, Amplification principle