The Power of Intelligent Debate

[The Lobster Queen]

So back when I was in highschool, I went to a private Christian school. It was really tiny (165 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade), and really strict.

Srsly. They'd detentionify you for like. Anything.

Anywho.

Every senior in our school has to give a speech in front of the rest of the school in an assembly before they're allowed to graduate -- it's the last test of our mandatory Speech course. xX; Anyway, we could do it on whatever we wanted--

--provided the subject was approved by the teachers and the pastor.

So I chose "Literature > The Portrait of Dorian Gray" for mine. They okay'd it, but the speech itself had a line thrown in--

"...written by an author who many believe was homosexual, TPoDG contains some homoerotic subthemes."

And a few other things (if you've read the book, you KNOW rofl ) were an integral part of the speech.

biggrin

However! o.o Don't think I did it just to be, "OMGLOLZREBEL." It was an ongoing argument throughout the year -- naturally, the teachers were very homophobic. Given that I wasn't, we've had our share of debates.

Our next chapel service, however, was another one on the evils of homosexuality. ._.;; *Sigh*

Butyeah. The debate went on all year -- entire Bible classes would get sidetracked by me and the teacher both trying to debate intelligently. It was a calm sort of thing, though. On one occasion, the school was taking a field trip to the capital to participate in an anti-gay marriage protest. I was going along -- I even made the sandwiches and packed the lunches.

No one was surprised when we got there, however, and I took my place on the pro-gay marriage side. They all expected it. sweatdrop

And we always treated each other just fine. Oo;; No one on either side was ever ostracized, there was never any fighting. Just. Calmly getting our points across, letting each other know where we stood, and respecting that. Not shoving it down their throats day after day.

In conclusion! This is actually a topic about...

Intelligent debate!

Yes, intelligent debate, and what can ACTUALLY be achieved when you argue peacefully. n.n

So talk about it.

Go.

[Dai the Man Slayer]

Quite a lot can be achieved. Dai heart intelligent convo. It stimulates the mind and if the opponent is clever, it makes you think outside the box. "What kind of cereal do you like?" vs. "How would you disarm Iran?" is what I'm talking about. The 1st is just an escape, you can argue about Frankenberry vs. Coco Puffs all you want but nothing comes out of it. The 2nd stimulates thought about current events, and since we all {hopefully} live in reality, that seems more relevant.

[sodium]

You shouldn't be allowed to debate unless you understand both sides. Because then it's not a debate, it's an arguement.

[The Lobster Queen]

sodium

You shouldn't be allowed to debate unless you understand both sides. Because then it's not a debate, it's an arguement.

I agree.

In this case, we understood both sides (having been in this school since fourth grade, of course *I* did, anyway), and I do think that's what kept us from looking like idiots and trying to kill each other. sweatdrop

[[ Take Me Now! ]]

crying Whenever I try to debate I get shouted at, with their side of the arguement.

So I bitchslap them. That shuts them up. ^^

But I agree with Sodium.

[Midorei]

It's very difficult sometimes, because many will get frustrated when the other side dosen't understand their views.

I took a debating class once and I got madskillz.
However, I was about 9 - 10. o _o;

[murderer1000]

talk2hand
I don't Debate.
It's pointless.
I'd rather masterbate.
With another Guy.

[SGT.Underkill]

ninja

[[DerangedTechnicolor]]

For my own sexual resons I always wanted to go to a private school.

[Stephanie_Lin]

I like to debate in class, but I am usually on the minority side of anything.
We did a civics class last year in which almost all year we played "House of Representatives" where we would choose sides on bills to be passed and then present our arguements. It was alot of fun, but that kind of organized debating can be frustrating when you want to get your point across, but you can't go back and forth with someone like you would in an arguement.

We debate alot of things in my American History class as well, like gay marriage, the Schiavo case, the welfare state and such, but like I said I am usually on the less popular side of the debate sweatdrop
Debating is fun, though, because it stimulates you to see the other person's point of view on an issue and thereby not lose your own point of view, but broaden it.