One of the most important aspects of debating involves no speaking. Who would have known, right?! I'm not just talking about team policy either. This goes for any kind of debate whether academic, political, or the necessary disagreement over what the best flavor of ice cream is.
The key concept I'm referring to is listening. You probably need to hear that again. Listening. L-i-s-t-e-n-i-n-g. It's defined by Merriam-Webster as, "to make an effort to hear something; be alert and ready to hear something." I want to contrast this with the term "hearing" which is defined as, "the faculty of perceiving sounds." The problem I see all too often (and am guilty of myself) is debaters hearing and not listening to their opponents. They hear the words the other team is saying but they aren't really listening to understand what argument is being made. A pre-selected response is given as debaters try to fit the arguments being made into a nice, tidy box.
We all do this. We think we have heard all the arguments before and of course we know our argument is better. The difficulty is that it results in two sides that are arguing past each other. In this situation, the debate never gets past the opening contentions. Each person simply repeats the arguments while never truly evaluating the opposing point.
Effective debaters understand how vital it is to listen to what the other team is saying. They then respond to that argument by considering what it means and demonstrating why their own position is still stronger. This is how debates are won. Making the effort to listen allows for second, third, and fourth level responses. These are far more persuasive than belaboring the original point over and over.
So next time you find yourself in a debate on U.S. transportation policy or in an argument with your cousin Billy over the best way to change a tire, make sure you take the time to listen! And that is why EXCELLENCE makes an IMPACT!
