ALL MY life I have argued, I love arguing, a good argument on an interesting topic is just irresistible. But scientists are now claiming in a new study that I should stop arguing because it kills! How much should one believe in research findings? 

Everything these days seems to cause cancer or increase ones chances of meeting death.

The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says its researchers have discovered a strong link between the amount of arguing a person does and the risk of dying from any cause over the next 10 years.

If this research is to be taken seriously, me and you could start writing our wills already because there isn’t many people who can spend a week without engaging in a deep argument.

Personally, I regard life itself as an argument. 

As a debates’ coordinator in secondary school, an information prefect in high school, a presidential advisor to the University students’ guild President and a former political radio talk-show moderator, I have always found myself at the heart of heated arguments. Next month, I will be arguing in defense of my thesis and a good argument will determine whether I graduate with a Masters degree or not.

Even this comment is an argument, on another page is Allan, arguing away in his Sunday opinion and after reading this, you too, will probably feel compelled to post an argument in form of a comment either for or against the research findings.

The ethnographic study conducted by the University of Copenhagen researchers claims to have followed almost 10,000 people aged between 36 and 52 for 11 years of which 196 female and 226 male subjects of the of the study died.

The contradiction though is that half those deaths were due to cancer, and the other half from heart disease, accidents, and suicides.

 A more logical and believable conclusion would be that; an angry argument could cause the early death of a person already suffering from a heart disease (but not the argument itself as the cause.) 

But it gets more complicated when the scientists allege that frequent arguments with family, friends, and even neighbors actually cause early death! 

How can one possibly avoid an argument with friends or workmates or parents avoiding endless arguments with their kids? Half the banter at most workplaces is full of staff arguments on issues ranging from soccer to relationships and politics. You should pity journalists because arguments get even deeper in newsrooms. 

In truth, there are respected professions that are tailored around arguments and if arguments indeed killed, journalists, lawyers and politicians would clearly be top contenders to die early.

A news editor often asks reporters; where’s the argument in your story? To a defense lawyer, a convincing argument will liberate a client while a lame argument will get defendants jailed. Tell a politician not to argue and it will be like sending them into early retirement because politics without an argument is like a car without an engine, powerless!

But what’s an argument? 

The word ‘argue’ has several synonyms including quarrel, dispute, fight, disagree, row, bicker, fall-out and squabble all of which tend to carry negative connotations and would certainly give arguments an evil look.

But the word ‘argue’ is also a main synonym to ‘debate’ and debates are not only healthy but also encouraged in proper democracies for transparency. To debate is to argue or to argue is to debate which also means to contest/discuss or disagree; a good thing.

Tycoon Warren Buffett said that; if a rich {old) man wanted to take out a young lady, you’re going to sell him Viagra and make money while doing so, basically, the market system will make Viagra research worthwhile but it won’t make research worthwhile for some disease that’s killing the poor.

Buffett’s argument is that research is conducted on demand and to serve a purpose. Findings should be useful and marketable.

So who would be interested in research findings that seem to castigate arguments as suicidal? Sponsoring an ethnography based study spanning over a decade is not only expensive but must also be important to warrant the bother.

If the world stopped arguing who would be the winners and losers? 

Married couples maybe because the study suggests, arguing especially with those closest to you will increase death chances; so couples stop arguing and we have happier marriages? Sounds good that’s if there’s an option to arguing.

How about workplace arguments? Bosses would definitely be happy to have silent work-places to think better in a more serene environment.

They say; if two people agree then one of them is not reasoning; now there’s a better reason, to avoid early death.