I Can't Tell You How Many Times I've Tried to Use Wikipedia to Win an Argument

I consider myself to be very lucky in that Lee and I have a lot of things in common. I've dated people in the past that I didn't have as much in common with, and it was kind of strange, because I always felt like I was holding back parts of myself. With Lee, I never feel that way, which is nice. But this entry isn't about how lucky I am, it's about one of the less attractive things that Lee and I have in common: we're both infuriating know-it-alls.

Usually this isn't too much of a problem, because, like I said, we tend to agree on most things. Either that, or the thing that one of us feels really strongly about is something the other one doesn't care too much about, so it's easy to just agree with the Lee's opinion when he gets started on a rant. (I, on the other hand, do not rant. I make passionate, well-thought-out arguments in favor of my beliefs, which people are more than happy to hear.)

Anyway, when we don't agree, it's like some kind of back-alley street-rules debate team competition. By way of example, here are some things Lee and I have debated in the past (some of them more than once):

1) Should a woman should take her husband's name?
2) Corporal punishment: necessary and harmless, or unnecessarily violent?
3) Does organized religion have any redeeming qualities?
4) Is an animal's life worth as much as a human life?

Argument #4 from the list above was the most fun so far, because we were both drunk, and at one point I was indignantly browsing the internet for pictures of whale brains and rat brains. It's important to note two things about these arguments: 1) None of the topics currently directly affect either of us, and 2) On all of these topics, Lee and I agree on more points than we disagree. But that doesn't stop us (me) from getting really worked up about it.

For example, last night, Lee and I were arguing again about corporal punishment, and it started getting a little heated, so we sensibly decided to just drop it, for the health of our relationship. There was a short pause in the conversation, after which I said, "So... what are you doing?"
Lee: "Looking up corporal punishment on the internet."
Me: "Oh no you're not, because I am!"