Debating: Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks
Style
- You're not in a debate.
- Be calm. Avoid hysteria like the plague.
- Speak for yourself. "I don't buy this argument" is always more persuasive than "We don't buy this argument".
- Control your hands.
- Drop filler words. Comparative, analysis and clash can have meaning. Too often they don't.
Pro-Amming
- Your partner is never dragging you down. You're just not good enough to pull them up.
- You can Pro-Am to win or you can Pro-Am to teach. Be clear on which you're doing.
Debating
- Counter-Props are a thing. Ignore them at your peril
- Don't win clashes. Win the debate.
- Rebuttal is constructive
- Constructive can be rebuttal.
- Examples can be arguments. Especially with Hawksbee.
- Consequentialism is nigh impossible to challenge. Utilitarianism is not
Judging
- The Average Informed Voter is neither left-wing nor a feminist.
- Argumentative sophistication is not persuasiveness.
- Truth is not binary.
- Persuasiveness = Truth(%) * Importance
- Rebuttal is as good as constructive
- Metrics are important
CA'ing
- Counter Props are a thing. Either have a clear position on them OR take a position on a motion by motion basis
- "THW do X as opposed to Y" is an effective way of excluding counter-props on a motion by motion basis
Being a Good Person
- If someone is worse at debating, that doesn't mean they're less intelligent.
- If someone is less intelligent, that doesn't mean they're a bad person.
- If someone is a bad person, that doesn't mean you should treat them badly.
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