7 Days 1 Lesson #22
We are back! This week, only one lesson, but it's better to show up than to give up.
The Importance of Debate and How to Ensure It Is Respected
Debate is the only way to non-violently win a war. Ensuring debate is preserved and respected is critical during such a divisive time.
I think we can all agree that freedom of speech is a very important value. The benefit it brings, which is the freedom of exchanging ideas and forging them on the debate anvil, far outweighs the negatives caused by its unintended consequences, hate.
This week, after winning multiple Connect 4 games, I discussed this importance with a good friend of mine.
During an incredibly divisive time, although we may agree on the importance of freedom of speech, many people seem to have forgotten the drawbacks that come with it and have become more intolerant of others. This has caused a small but noticeable increase in the number of people considering whether it is even valuable.
To be clear, speech policing is very rarely needed; this is because there is a system to combat it already within the very concept of freedom of speech.
It's called good ideas. To be clear, it is often the case that good ideas beat bad ones; there are some instances where this does not happen for one reason or another, and that is when policing should probably be considered.
Debate is arguably the most important concept of freedom of speech. If there is no platform for the battle of ideas, then this activity cannot happen correctly.
To preserve a healthy debating platform, one where people are respected, not attacked, fact checked, and understanding, essentially the complete opposite of the 20 vs. 1 Jubilee format, there are a few key things that should be followed.
- Experts should debate – Honestly, the only example you have for this is the Jubilee 20 vs. 1 videos. They are incredibly frustrating to watch for both parties. The experts typically speak to brick walls, and the brick walls refuse to concede on any matter. As a result, those supporting the experts become frustrated because people are not understanding the point being made, and those supporting the brick walls become embarrassed that these people share their side.
- Questions are critical – The audience members should be allowed to ask questions and follow-ups. If the speaker cannot answer the question, that is something they need to go out and learn about. Ultimately, this allows for arguments to be sharpened, knowledge to be spread, and a victor to be decided. However, questions mustn't become combative; instead, they should come from a position of curiosity.
- Respect is key – There is literally no point in watching two people going at each other's throats verbally. I would much rather see a UFC or a boxing match. I want the arguments making the jabs, not the imbeciles stating them.
- Empathy goes a long way – Being able to put yourself in the other person's shoes helps you understand why someone might be making a certain argument and how they arrived at the conclusion. If you can understand the source of their problem, tackling it is the best way of defeating that argument.
There are many more rules that should be followed when debating, but I think these are the most important ones right now.
It feels like social media has done nothing but increase the divide between people and their opinions, and having reliable forms of debate with gentlemen's agreements on how to behave is incredibly important for successful debate to happen.
Unfortunately, because of the way the world works, this type of debating is incredibly boring and therefore less attractive. People would much rather watch raging, gotcha debates, even if it is at the expense of their future.
Quotes Of The Week
- "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think." — Albert Einstein
- "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." — Winston Churchill
- "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
