Intuition pumps

Finding effective intuition pumps to help people understand your point of view can be tricky because what works well for one person, may fall flat with someone else. In my experience, it's helpful to take the principle you're trying to explain to a simple logical extreme, where you all agree. From there, it's much easier to start a sequence of arguments that show how the position you're advocating for follows naturally.

By working from first principles, you're able to check that your audience agrees as you build up your position incrementally. Without establishing common ground, it's easy to dismiss the evidence you present, either due to pride or difference in life experience. As much as possible, try to keep the discussion collaborative, to help everyone keep an open mind and to make it about the idea and not about ego.