Improving my debating skills..

[Red Noob]

Well it's not really in my nature to debate or argue, but I'm anticipating on going back into public schools again, and I know I'll end up getting into at least one 'back and forth' with someone. Something I've noticed is I'm a lot better at online debating than I am at face-to-face debates. Are there any guides or books I can read to help improve on simple in person debating skills?

[Ostrinski]

Well it's not really in my nature to debate or argue, but I'm anticipating on going back into public schools again, and I know I'll end up getting into at least one 'back and forth' with someone. Something I've noticed is I'm a lot better at online debating than I am at face-to-face debates. Are there any guides or books I can read to help improve on simple in person debating skills?I have the same problem. I freeze up and can't articulate what my brain is telling me. I'd be interested in these references as well.

[Commissar Rykov]

I had the same problem till I just went out and did it. Was it perfect? Fuck no but those Teabaggers didn't know shit so it made it easy to keep my cool. Best advice I can give is give yourself time to evaluate and think don't just react to what they say as you can stick your foot in your mouth.

[Ele'ill]

It gets easier with practice. Learning the common talking points of both sides and finding your own pacing and response 'style'. I like pausing and actually thinking about what the other person has said before responding even if I already know my answer as soon as they started their reply. I think it's respectful. I also think it's respectful to use that time to think about why they're approaching that point, what about them makes them believe it? I don't mean an arrogant 'hmmmmmmmmmmmm' but more of just a pause to slow down the conversation.

[ckaihatsu]

Back during the time when I initially became political (revolutionary only) it seemed like I was constantly running around the same terrain over and over -- probably because of so many simplistic-contrarian liberals in the midst. (RevLeft confers some benefits compared to a face-to-face encounter since much similar ground is covered over and over but it's not in realtime and there's a definite "home court" advantage here.)

I've since done a number of political structural diagrams in recent years in an attempt to regularize some of this terrain so that comrades don't have to improvise on the spot or feel at a loss for solid grounding "in the field". (My work can be found by doing a web search for 'political educational diagrams'.)

It may help to simply keep the reality of class interest in mind, and to attempt to determine as quickly as possible where the other person is coming from generally, politically. As social beings we use generalized categories all the time in cognitive attempts to accurately encapsulate the particular that's in front of us -- certainly we can use this 'categorizing' or 'typing' approach in the realm of politics, hopefully without cutting any corners or lapsing into crude stereotypes.

One's objective relation to the means of mass industrial production reminds us that the political expanse is a *finite* one, and I've taken a shot at situating a range of gradations on a linear expanse in an attempt to regularize political orientations and show where they are in relation to one another.


[3] Ideologies & Operations -- Fundamentals

http://postimage.org/image/34modgv1g/


Ideologies & Operations -- Left Centrifugalism

http://postimage.org/image/1g4s6wax0/

http://postimage.org/image/2cvo2d7fo/


Political Spectrum, Simplified

http://postimage.org/image/35tmoycro/

[ellipsis]

Practice! and keep your cool, don't allow yourself to be baited.

[Tovarisch]

I am a shitty debater in real life, but I do have one huge tip. NEVER insult the other person that you are arguing with. And always come off as moderate during the beginning of a debate, as extremism will quickly alienate the other person, and their brain will enter into "Lalala I can't hear you!" mode

[Leftsolidarity]

I am actually very good at debating in person and would love to help you out (I do 90% of it in my public school so I think it's what you're worried about too). Online I get into massive debates and I do well with them but since it's online I tend to come across like an asshole so I prefer in person.

The most general advice I could give would be to stay extremely calm, make clear and direct attacks on their argument (research different kinds of logical fallacies and call them out on it), (depending on the situation) point out their lack of understanding of a fundamental part of the argument then explain it, then build on that to prove your side and once again show how they are wrong.

What are you most worried about in how you debate and what topics do you think you will come across most/have most problems with?

[Red Noob]

Thanks.

I'd imagine most people that would debate would have very common misconceptions about Communism, so I decided to write down an outline for the more common arguments. Critique/criticism appreciated.



The government shouldn't run everything.

Agreed. Communism is not about government or bureaucracy. Communism is a stateless, classless society.

Communism is great, but it will never make everyone equal.

Communism isn't meant to make everyone equal in the sense we all have the same house, car, amount of food, ect. It is meant to make us all socially equal. It dispels all kings, governments, and masters. Equal in the sense that every worker has a say over their labor, some would argue yes.

Communists will only be able to achieve their end goal through violence.
Probably. But militancy and civil disobedience has been brought on by almost every ideology. Nothing good has ever come easy and free. It's hard work.



Any thing I should change/add?

[Rafiq]

Here's a hint: Never make compromise, never make common ground, when debating Politically Bourgeois humans.

Don't ever say "Yeah you are right". because this initially baits them into forcing you to speak their language. Don't do that, instead, force them to speak your language, put them in positions in which they have to find common ground with you.

[Rooster]

There's plenty of books out there. I have a little booklet thing called "A Rulebook for Arguments". It's more for writing essays though, rather than face to face debating. You might also want get a small book on logic as well. A good thing to do is to keep in mind what you're actually arguing about. Try to learn some facts to help you, or even better, carry around a source book or a collection of notes of sources for the figures you have. There's nothing quite like arguing with someone who you know is wrong but they're convinced otherwise, then you bring out the actual data to correct them.

[Lucretia]

Some people are just better at communicating in writing than orally. Effective oral communication, for the most part, tends to favor concision of expression. The best way to perform well at debates, impromptu or otherwise, is to prepare for them by anticipating your opponents' positions and crafting concise and compelling responses to them. I would also recommend any decent primer on how to communicate and interact with other people orally - including how to listen effectively.

[The Intransigent Faction]

The most important things have been pretty well covered. Practice, practice, practice!
If possible join a model U.N. or some kind of similar club? I'm on the debate team at my university, which just started up when I was a freshman, so we're all pretty much novices, but practice helps and maybe you'll find it easier to start off in a more structured setting where you won't need to fear degeneration into a battle of nothing but personal attacks.

Anticipating arguments and being concise are important, like Lucretia said. It might be a good idea to list off a few key points in your mind so you have something someone can follow along with when you debate. It's a balance between having structured arguments and just being natural.

One last thing, on common ground. I'm not convinced about ruling it out immediately in all cases. I've caught some conservative relatives off-guard by making it clear from the start that I'm for a stateless society and warmed them up at least a little to the idea of communism. This has been said too, but certain buzzwords tend to set off alarms in people's minds and timing can matter in bringing them up. It does depend to some extent on to whom you're talking.