Solution to vile and polarizing discourse
A revelation yesterday: The solution to our polarized society and toxic discourse is to return to good old-fashioned rule-bound debate.
Some people may think that what we have today is "debate." No, what we have today is childish screaming matches, narcissistic attacks, ad hominem (read David Hogg on any gun owners), media ginning up drama for ratings, and the death of facts and logic.
(By the way, Kelly Anne Conway was mocked for saying "Alternative facts" but this is not mock-worthy. A background in real debate shows there are alternative facts, or better, complementary facts.)
I was a college debate coach for several years in my 20s and early 30s. It was foundational to teaching critical thinking for me as the coach, so I know it is for students. My former debaters are pastors, college professors, and professionals. And moms and dads, too. The true debate format (not this public forum thing that is called a debate, i.e., the presidential debates that only serve confirmation bias) involves the following.
1. Timed speeches so that everyone gets the same amount of time.
2. No interrrupting.
3. No personal attacks, no wise cracks, no assigning motives to the opponent ("you believe in that because you want people to die")
4. Flowing the debate (taking careful notes)
5. Dealing with every point the opponent makes.
6. Only facts and logic.
7. Avoidance of fallacies such as straw man or changing the topic (red herring)
I am almost tempted to put a debate class in our communication curriculum!
Some people may think that what we have today is "debate." No, what we have today is childish screaming matches, narcissistic attacks, ad hominem (read David Hogg on any gun owners), media ginning up drama for ratings, and the death of facts and logic.
(By the way, Kelly Anne Conway was mocked for saying "Alternative facts" but this is not mock-worthy. A background in real debate shows there are alternative facts, or better, complementary facts.)
I was a college debate coach for several years in my 20s and early 30s. It was foundational to teaching critical thinking for me as the coach, so I know it is for students. My former debaters are pastors, college professors, and professionals. And moms and dads, too. The true debate format (not this public forum thing that is called a debate, i.e., the presidential debates that only serve confirmation bias) involves the following.
1. Timed speeches so that everyone gets the same amount of time.
2. No interrrupting.
3. No personal attacks, no wise cracks, no assigning motives to the opponent ("you believe in that because you want people to die")
4. Flowing the debate (taking careful notes)
5. Dealing with every point the opponent makes.
6. Only facts and logic.
7. Avoidance of fallacies such as straw man or changing the topic (red herring)
I am almost tempted to put a debate class in our communication curriculum!
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