I Like to Debate

Somewhere I have (or my mother has) an old school report from when I was 11 or 12 that includes the observation that I "will start an argument in an empty room." I don't think this has changed very much.

I think very few things should be accepted at face-value without testing the assumptions in the position. Therefore, virtually anything should be up for discussion (though there's a time and a place for everything). And my tendency is to take the opposite position from that taken by whomever I'm talking to (even if in reality I agree with them), partly because I'm perverse but also because it's only through reason and debate that we can arrive at a sure understanding of an issue.

I think that debating is pretty much inherent to human existence. And 'Love thy neighbour', whether or not you're Christian, is a pretty decent value to live by - but 'loving' I think has to include at least trying to walk a mile in someone else's shoes: what better way to do this than to discuss what is important to them?

More than anything, however - and this is where I tend to fall short of my own ideals - debating is at least as much about listening as talking. Modern life whether it's involving politics or social issues or anything else, seems to be mostly talking and not so much listening. We'd all benefit if we tried it a little more often.