In reality, in most cases, everything is exactly the opposite: the views of opponents, even if they were not known in advance, become obvious after the very first phrases, and the probability that they will change as a result of a short (even if long) conversation is zero.
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What, then, is the point of the polemic and who should the arguments of the parties convince, if not each other? Of course, other people, listeners and viewers. And if we are talking about a TV show or a stream, the audience is at the TV screens or at the computer monitor.
Basically, an opponent in a debate is just an excuse (even if it’s a reason) to share your views with people who are really ready to hear your arguments. Of course, this does not mean that you should not follow the rules of formal politeness when communicating with your counterpart. Observing the rules of etiquette is an extra point that you gain in the eyes of the audience.
