I've been hoodwinked into takin g part in a debate at work

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Just a bit fo fun you understand, but now I have to stand up on Wednesday lunchtime and argue why this building is better than that building to work in. Who came up with the idea of having a debating society at work in the first place anyway?

Although I'm quite opinionated and argumentative, I've never done 4real debating before. Tell me how!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:10 (twenty years ago)

Rebuttal is key. And rubbishing the other's arguments. But that is essentially rebuttal.

― saleXander / sophie (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:12 (twenty years ago)

don't start off by giving a dictionary definition for the word 'building'.

― estela (estela), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:15 (twenty years ago)

Yeh, rebuttal, that's a good one. I mean, I watch newsnight and listen ot Today, how hard can it be?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:19 (twenty years ago)

don't start off by giving a dictionary definition for the word 'building'.

Oh god, that's the worst. "define building!"

I have heard that you should never really say "I agree BUT..." A good idea is to first defend the opponent's opinion and then start saying "You will also understand that..." adding your (opposite) view. Something like that. Shit, I should ask my husband, he knows a lot more about this. Me, I just knock the opponent out with my fists.

― nathalie, a bum like you (stevie nixed), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:30 (twenty years ago)

I would imagine that you would be very good at debating, JB. It's like a cross between a good pub argument and a tennis match. Except with more specific rules about how to do it.

― Paranoid Spice (kate), Monday, 24 October 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

It's these "specific rules" that are disconcerting me. Ug, I need to go google. I'll do it tonight when I'm not so tired and busy.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 24 October 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

Try and think creatively and add some humour if you can be bothered. Comedy oft gets people on-side. Good luck! (Even if it is "just a bit of fun" you still have a reputation and do not want to be humiliated by a secret pro-debater esp. at work. How would you live it down?).

― saleXander / sophia (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

"I wouldn't say the CEO's a soul-sucking cunt, but..."

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 24 October 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

Start smearing your opponent now: if you wait he may get his in first.

― winterland, Monday, 24 October 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Patronising engagement with the opponent, combined with humourous trashing.

- I understand why poor deluded opponent thinks what he does. On the surface it seems reasonable, and he is reasonable.
- Sadly, he has missed several crucial factors which render his position ludicrous when you add them to the pot.
- I will now demonstrate how ludicrous with some witty absurdities that I will tie into the argument of my opponent.
- My argument is best, covers the bases, and my opponent is a misguided fool.
- I win. Please give me sex.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 October 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Also, "I am always right."

― saleXander / sophia (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

I like the way your thinking. Rubbish the other fella, brilliant.

But what if I go first?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Haven't you heard of pre-emptive strikes?

― saleXander / sophia (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

"I know what you're gonna say, and you're wrong" doesn't strike me as a good opening gambit.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

But if you pre-empt what they might say then you can debunk it before they even said it and then they will be speechless.

― saleXander / sophia (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

~~said~~. Say.

― saleXander / sophia (salexander), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:13 (twenty years ago)

I did alot of debating at school, except then I missed the bus for a debate and they never picked me again, though I always suspected I was upsetting their intellectual clique by not speaking like a robot or using latin phrases.

So my tips would be-

1. Don't use latin phrases, nobody says "ad hoc" except 50 year old doctors or politicians.

2. As Dave B says, be sure and humorously ridicule the other person at every opportunity, and it's very much the better if you can do this with actual points relevant to the discussion.

3. Look RUTHLESSLY for anything that even SEEMS like a contradiction and seize it like a dog does a mangled tennis ball.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

It does worry me that our whole democracy is based on the notion of debating, where cheap point scoring and rhetorical tricks win the day, at the expense of reasoned argument and discussion.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 24 October 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

Our building believes that we are ALL one big team, and that in order to be effective, we must discard out petty differences and embrace our cohorts in the other building. We believe that there is no "Better" or "Worse". .. And those fucks over there all are childish, competitive bastards - that's why you want to work in this building.

― when something smacks of something (dave225.3), Monday, 24 October 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

Spend some time thinking about your side of the argument, what points you make in favour of the one building; spend as long working out the same things for the other building; work out how to demolish its so-called advantages; work out how to do the same for your case, and then how to negate any such attacks. Be ready for going first (where you try to take away as many oppotunities as you can for the opponent to attack you) or second (where you will have to be more flexible - which means having MORE material prepared, but being ready to drop any that is now not pertinent, or where your opponent has sidestepped any traps).

Also, drug your opponents coffee.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 24 October 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

I totally agree with Martin's approach. Try and work out some of the major points of the opponent's case, how to respond to them, and then do the same for yours. This removes one of the worst things that can happen in a debate - being surprised. That stinks.

Also - DON'T GIVE a FUCK. If you go in there realizing that this will have NO effect on your life in its entirety, you can act without fear, and thus without hesitation.

And be courteous, even if you mock your opponent's argument mercilessly. No one likes a bad sport.

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Monday, 24 October 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

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