I learned to combat this with 3 simple questions:

1. What kind of job do you do? (Or study)
2. Where do you live?
3. Do you have any kids, dog,…

Be interrested in their answers and add some simple follow-up questions that show you are listening. Add some content of your own as a follow-up.

Posing that first question can be a bit weird, but the rest is as simple as it sounds.

Choose your own appearance.

Argument are not won or lost. You either learn, or teach during an argument/discussion. Else you are is a “word fight”, were both parties think they won, but they both lost.

Read a book

Same here, Snatch. Gotta hate them f*cking pickies