ClearTips: Powerful paragraphs

Undermine a premise at the end of a paragraph

Undermining an idea is a clever way to make your point stand out while taking the claws out of an opposing view. The decision about undermining at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph depends on how much information you want to give in support of the premise.

Undermining at the end of a paragraph is like concluding with the point—but in a backhanded way. It shows your understanding of an alternative point of view—then slams the direction of the argument into reverse.

Undermining can:

• highlight an opponent's flaws or weaknesses
  
• present (and refute) a common misconception
  
• introduce tension or create the atmosphere of debate

It is widely believed, especially by labor union officials, that the fall of the blue collar industrial worker in the developed countries was largely, if not entirely, caused by moving production "offshore" to countries with abundant supplies of unskilled labor and low wage rates. But this is not true.

In the above example, your readers have an immediate clue that you don't agree with the premise (It is widely believed). The strong statement at the end (But this is not true) leaves no doubt about your position, presumably to be elaborated in the following paragraph.

Here is another paragraph that undermines the opening point at the end:

Whenever an attempt is made to marry economics with Charles Darwin, it is well to raise a sceptical eyebrow. And the case for scepticism is all the stronger when natural selection is invoked to explain some pattern of things which, pretty clearly, could be changed by a simple act of will. For many years it has been argued that the present shape of the American corporation, in which a vast and dispersed group of shareholders exercises little or no control over the firm's managers, is in some way preordained. Organising firms like this, runs the argument, is simply the most efficient way of adapting to the demands of modern capitalism. This view has its alluring points, but is wrong.

Think of a premise you disagree with, opening it with a phrase like:

• It is widely believed
• Many people think
• It may seem
  
• At first glance

Then give the reader a few details about the premise, details that you can later turn to your advantage as you support your points. Along the way, you might intersperse such phrases as "it is argued" and "so goes the argument," to remind readers that you are not presenting your own view. Last, shift the direction of the argument by undermining the premise, perhaps signaling the shift with:

• Yet
• But
• Actually
• A closer look reveals
• On the contrary

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