There is more ado to interpret interpretations than to interpret the things, and more books upon books than upon all other subjects; we do nothing but comment upon one another.

Commentary breeds faster than whatever it comments on. A subject attracts responses, then responses to the responses, until most of the conversation is about the conversation and nobody has looked at the original matter in a while. The pile is more comfortable than the thing, because arguing with a person is easier than facing the thing itself.

In whatever argument is occupying you, go back to the original object once. The actual report, the actual behaviour, the actual figures. You may find the disagreement is between two readings, neither of which quite matches what is there.