Policy Debate: One of the most fun things I have ever done
Debating Policy and going to tournaments is great
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JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
I stood up to speak, dry washing my hands and trying to put moisture back into my mouth. I have my papers in one hand, a pen in the other. I walk over to the podium and speak for about 5 minutes on how ocean dumping is not nearly a big of a problem as acid rain, and how processes to rid ballast tanks of "invasive species" kills marine resources, which is what the other team is trying to do. I then talk about what a boat is, and how a rowboat is a boat, which does not use ballast water, and a tanker, which does, both have to pay taxes, and how the other team wasn't specific in what a boat does. *whew*
That is the boring, detail infested, brain numbing part of debate which most people fear. Being a nerd, Debate has always interested me. Yet I made one great understanding by taking debate, and no, it wasn't how to save more fish. To join a debate league you do not have to be a genius, which I am not, a geek, a loser with too much time on his/her hands, but you can be anyone. How did I come to this extreme conclusion? Mainly by what happened next in the debate. (In cross-examination period)
Adversary: In your opinion what is a boat? Is it a jet-ski, a rubber ducky, a rowboat.
Myself: Well yes all those things are boats. (THis would help my point)
Adversary: Well, if a jet-ski is a boat, why don't they call it a jet Boat?
Myself: Why don't they call Yachts Yacht-Boats?
(Instantaneous laughter fills the room, which is usually dead silent in the spectator section)
Adversary: OK, so what would you call a native species?
Myself: A thing native to a specific area.
Adversary: Our definition of a invasive species is: blah blah blah blah.
Myself: Native is relative to what area you are looking at. I am not a Chinese native, but I am a native of earth. Does that make me an invasive species?
(More laughter)
Who knew debate could be this fun?
That is the boring, detail infested, brain numbing part of debate which most people fear. Being a nerd, Debate has always interested me. Yet I made one great understanding by taking debate, and no, it wasn't how to save more fish. To join a debate league you do not have to be a genius, which I am not, a geek, a loser with too much time on his/her hands, but you can be anyone. How did I come to this extreme conclusion? Mainly by what happened next in the debate. (In cross-examination period)
Adversary: In your opinion what is a boat? Is it a jet-ski, a rubber ducky, a rowboat.
Myself: Well yes all those things are boats. (THis would help my point)
Adversary: Well, if a jet-ski is a boat, why don't they call it a jet Boat?
Myself: Why don't they call Yachts Yacht-Boats?
(Instantaneous laughter fills the room, which is usually dead silent in the spectator section)
Adversary: OK, so what would you call a native species?
Myself: A thing native to a specific area.
Adversary: Our definition of a invasive species is: blah blah blah blah.
Myself: Native is relative to what area you are looking at. I am not a Chinese native, but I am a native of earth. Does that make me an invasive species?
(More laughter)
Who knew debate could be this fun?