Why Argue?

Penkhee recently wrote in his online journal about arguments, on what is the point of "going through the whole process of arguing and making a point".

My comment to his writing was, is it that hard to apologize instead of going all the way out to prove a point (or that they're right) when they are wrong in the first place? That, granted everyone's entitled to their own opinions, but why the need to make others accept their opinions and no one else's?

I never liked battles. Usually I let the other party to state his/her points, then I state mine. Should the discussion ever launches into battleship, I take a step back and leave it at that, apologize if needed.

Just like him, i wonder if there is a need to get things heated up, or twist and turn things around, and expect others to apologize when they themselves were in the wrong? Can't people just accept the fact that each person has different views and just leave it that way? Can't people just learn to achieve mutual understanding between both parties? Or is that just ego talking?