@ChrisWrites 16 May 2021

Stereotyping results in a debate loss

I was agreeing with many points I was reading in a "how-to debate" article. Just as I was thinking "I'm liking this author's points," he wrote some stereotypes about certain people and their debate styles. I won't get into the specifics of the stereotypes because it doesn't matter for this essay. The article suggests that some people rely on facts, while others just rely on emotion.

Of course, there wasn't any citation to any particular studies. Just an observation or two from mass media debates. Media debates are often framed as high conflict events, so they don't reflect the way many people argue persuasive points on the job or in daily life. We fear each other because of stereotypes perpetuated within our society. When humans are reduced to stereotypes, it shuts down our ability to see common areas of agreement.

People aren't always one way (overly emotional) or another (highly rational), especially when it comes to debate style. People use both argument styles in the same debates. A television program is more likely to emphasize the drama and conflict because it gets people to watch.

A debate at a college is usually more reasoned than a daytime talk show. Untelevised governmental meetings are more sedate than hot topic issues with a full compliment of cameras and live coverage. It all depends on the audience watching the debate. It isn't right to assume certain people argue using any particular style when the medium showing the argument influences the drama and emotion.

*Writer's note: I wrote the draft using a 10 minute timer. I spent 45 minutes editing and selecting the artwork for the essay.*