A Brief History of Debate

I have been hired to write the Vice Magazine Guide to Debate. This is one of the deleted scenes that didn't make it in (for being "too academic").

A Brief History of Debate

Socrates vs. a Variety of Peddlers, Youth, and Servants
In the 4th Century B.C., Socrates enjoyed engaging common people in debates about morality, usually by asking his opponent to define a virtue, then questioning the opponent until he contradicted himself, thus inducing aporia, an awareness of one’s own ignorance. While Socrates was ultimately executed for other crimes, we can see how this might have been annoying.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen Douglas
During the 1858 Senatorial election in Illinois. Lincoln argued against extending slavery into new territories, while Douglas believed new territories should vote on it. (Note that neither candidate actually favored freeing current slaves). High school kids across the land now compete in “Lincoln-Douglas debate,” but fortunately, no one is made to pretend to be Douglas.

William Jennings Bryan vs. A Bunch of Other Senators
In 1896, Bryan, arguing for the free coinage of silver, delivered his famous “Cross of Gold” speech to an adoring, cane-waving public. A lesson can be taken from this great debater’s introduction of himself as “the humblest citizen in all the land ... clad in the armor of a righteous cause.” While today we are little concerned with the coinage of silver in a 16-to-1 ratio to gold, we can learn from Bryan that effective debating is about the arguments, not about making ourselves look brilliant.

Richard Nixon vs. John F. Kennedy
In September, 1960, a sickly Richard Nixon showed up in a poorly-tailored suit, refused makeup, and debated golden boy JFK in the first-ever televised Presidential debate. Radio listeners thought Nixon won. Seventy-million television viewers thought otherwise. The television age was born. Smart but ugly people began pursuing work behind-the-scenes, and being Dick Cheney.

Kelly, Turbo, and Ozone vs. Some Other Breakdancers
In 1984’s Breakin’, the freeze, uprock, and jackhammer are introduced as nonverbal means of settling a dispute. If arguments fail, look around for a boombox.