Debates discussion

What are everyone's tips for debating?

Use facts and logic. It's annoying to debate someone who's only argument is emotional. If you say that you are happy you took the vaccine, it proves nothing.

Feelings don't come to play in a debate. Once someone says "I feel that..." or something like that, then they're argument is weak. They're argument on feelings is a argument of OPINIONS. An argument of logic is a an argument of FACTS. And no matter how you feel or think, no matter if you believe it with all your heart, facts are facts, and your feelings don't matter.

So I've debated people in real life a few times, mostly atheist communists and one or two Islamists. To be honest maybe I'm pessimistic, but I enter into a debate thinking that I won't change their mind. That I might plant seeds of how they can see things my way but they will need to think on it and I won't beat them into submission.

Personally I like to start out talking about definitions, so we don't both say different words and speak past each other. There is many words that people don't agree on a definition any more. Woman is a good example. A conservative might think of a woman as an adult human female. Where a progressive might think of a woman as someone who identifies as a woman. So when both people use that word and don't discuss the definition before hand, it can get confusing. Another set of words that are similar are equity and equality. The difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome is a big one. Conservative equality is where a college does not ask about someone's skin color when trying to decide to accept them or not. Where a progressive version of equality might look like a college discriminatingly against an over represented people in the college when considering admissions.

Other than that I prefer the interview style and ask them questions about their logic and take their logic to the extreme and make it funny. One time I was talking about riots with my communist friend. He said that a violent protest is not a riot and I said that violent protest is by definition a riot. And by the end of the debate I was able to make him define war as a protest. So I was teasing him about making a shirt with crusaders with protest signs outside Jerusalem during the crusades. With the phrase "The crusades were a peaceful pilgrimage."

Ask questions. Be friendly and curious. Don't just spit out facts and big words.
Listen to the other persons view.
Its not your job to change someomes mind.
If you're debating as a christian and sharing the Gospel, its not your job to convert them. Just plant a seed.
If you or the other gets mad or angry....you lose.
Also its easier to prove that something is right than it is to prove it wrong.

Austin wrote: "So I've debated people in real life a few times, mostly atheist communists and one or two Islamists. To be honest maybe I'm pessimistic, but I enter into a debate thinking that I won't change their..."

Having the same definition is smart

how not to get merced
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zifrl...

How to debate:
- Confidence.
- Facts and logic.
- Stand your ground.
- Be respectful.
- Have some wits.
- Have some guts.
- Do not use your feelings as your defence. Especially if you are prone to, eMoTiOnAl DaMaGe *coughs* back to business...
- Accept defeat or loss.
- Do not get political or personal; this is a debate, not a madhouse.
- Learn from the opponents, rather than denying a relatively good point from their end.
- Practice, practice, practice!
- Set a timer.
- Try to speak faster as you have limited time to prove your point. Practising rapping helps, just try to be audible.
- Learn to defend yourself.
- And lastly, put your heart and mind into it.

These are my viewpoints on debating, so, if you have some different aspects, feel free to use them or even share them with other people.

Thanks for reading!

Signing off,
Wise Girl 🦉

Great points from everyone! this was a nice thread to read through.