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April explains one of the reasons why arguments can go "off the rails"--because the people involved are either unintentionally or deliberately arguing past each other. This happens when people think they are arguing about the same thing, but they are actually arguing different issues related to the topic.
 
April's Show Notes for Episode 2:

Here's a basic explanation of formal argument and how it differs from informal argument:
https://dlc.dcccd.edu/english2-2/formal-arguments

This article from Harvard Business Review explains some of the reasons why we fail to see that we aren't "on the same page" with others, and gives some good tips to make sure everyone is listening and correctly interpreting what the issues are:
https://hbr.org/2012/12/why-youre-talking-past-each-other-and

This is the story of the mother and daughter who were arguing based on different definitions of the term "socialism:"
https://thevoice.us/instead-of-talking-past-each-other-find-common-ground/

A good article about how those involved in national discourse often talk past each other:
https://novellearning.blog/2017/10/12/how-we-argue-talking-past-each-other/

This is a great article that explains why paraphrasing is so effective when you're in the middle of an argument:
https://www.whatcomdrc.org/news/2018/3/30/the-power-of-paraphrasing

"Pivoting" is a common way politicians avoid answering questions they don't like, and often the audience doesn't realize they're being played. Here's how they exploit our "cognitive limitations:"
 https://www.npr.org/2012/10/03/162103368/how-politicians-get-away-with-dodging-the-question