Introduction to the World of Debate I am a debater. Unfortunately [laugh]. I am a debater who pathetically lost in the meaning of debate. Seriously, was it because I think too much? Or I just realized that I didn’t think of anything?
Shoots!
These questions have been bugged me around since first I enter the ‘dark’ world of debate. Oh no, not debate in that way. You mean by yelling around the folks trying to get yourself being listened? No…not of that, though.
Okay, let’s start from the very beginning. What is the meaning of debate? According to Oxford University Press Online Dictionary*, debate (n) means: a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. Based on that definition, I can infer that debate is a formal thing. I mean, you know, sometimes people being confused on the word debate and argue. Still according to Oxford University Press Online Dictionary, argue (v)~ (with sb) (about/over sth) itself means: to speak angrily to somebody because you disagree with them. See the difference?
Back to the main topic, considering to those definitions, the word “debate” is more about formal and discussion. Let’s skip the word “formal”. Let’s assume that the word “discussion” is more prioritized.
When we discuss, basically we are facing a problem of some things around us and trying to solve the problem. Usually it appears when something is not right and should or shouldn’t be fixed. Or something is controversial among people. And practically, in every discussion there’s always a bunch of people that support the issues. And the rest of them are against the issue-or maybe I should put one more space for those who stay neutral?
That’s, I think, the basic dynamic of discussion that I’m trying to figure out. So let’s go to the next word: “formal”.
When I think of something formal, the first thing that comes to my mind is: it must’ve involved many people. I mean, there’s an arrangement of debate and it consists of those who are speaking on the affirmative side and those who are speaking on the negative side. It must also have those who are in between to control the way it’s going on (could be a mediator, timekeeper, of whatever else). Then the next thing that also important is: rules. It must have rules to make sure that everybody is able to respect their opponent’s points of few.
So overall, I believe that the most basic thing that differs debating an arguing is rules. Rules of debating cause the debater to be anyhow control their emotion. However, emotion is required, of course, to convince the listeners or judges to vote for their side. But emotion is not the most important thing because debate is not speaking angrily-like I mentioned before which is the definition of argue-just to make the people believe that your side is right. The thing that should be emphasized on debate is the way of reasoning on the issue based on objection and supported by evidence. (to be continued)***
*Definition copyright: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Picture copyright: www.zazzle.com/debate+team+tshirts
Phew!!
Eventually.
I’ve just finished reading an awfully amazing manga series, Death Note. It drives me crazy lately since I’m so curious to follow the story till the very end. And today, I finished the final volume!
Although I finally found out my analysis to be true [gee…I even did my analysis the night before I got the final book to challenge myself how Light will end up with. It’s not like me. LOL] that the main character, Light Yagami = L = KIRA is dead. And the way is dead is killed by his Shinigami, Ryuk, which I estimated 15% on my hypothesis (I thought either Near or Mello would kill him). It’s sad for me though, cause personally I hate a bad ending while the main character will eventually die. But apparently this whole thing will be meaningless if it won’t end up finish like this [and don’t you think it will be lame if it ends kind of fancy happy ending?]
Still, the ending is fair, I think. Hmm… [come to think of it, I’d be way more crazy].
I gotta say, I love this series!! Thumbs up for Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.***
The writing you see below was actually my essay that I wrote in the past year before I came to United States for my exchange study program. When I looked up today, I suddenly felt that it's literally not a bad essay :-)
Somehow I feel good about it. I wonder, why could I write these things?
Katsumoto Moritsugu
Do you ever watch an epic movie which titled The Last Samurai?
If you ever watch that movie, I think you still remember with Katsumoto Moritsugu. He was the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the venerated Samurai, who dedicated their lives to serving emperor and country.
Well, I don’t know exactly why I’m so amazed with this figure of Katsumoto in that movie. Perhaps, the director gave his best choice for choosing Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto so that I could get the charisma easily and get the point of message that he will bring it on.
But actually I don’t want to talk about the director, or the movie, or the actor and actress in this essay. What I’m going to do is to learn about the character of Katsumoto as a loyal and powerful convictions leader at that moment.
Let’s say that the story of The Last Samurai is true and we have ever seen the Katsumoto before!
As a leader, Katsumoto have to be smart. And he did. We can see in the movie when he was not executing Nathan Algren-in the movie, Tom Cruise played as this guy-as his enemy to face the death soon but he brought that American brave soldier to his home. And what he going to do was learning from that soldier about how he win in those fights, and about how he was be as a Captain.
And I think that a good leader never stop to learn from any sources that he can get, even to his rivals. And I learn that from Katsumoto.
Again, I learn from Katsumoto that a leader must be objective over his emotion. In the movie, I still remember when he was difficult to make a conversation with Nathan Algren because the Captain still being so mad of his confusing condition. The Captain have shouted and screamed all day long but Katsumoto always face it calmly with a deep thinking.
But somehow, the most important thing that I admire him so much is because his sense of honor that guides him into loyalty and great dedication of life. He and so all of the Samurai spend their lifetime for one destination that they believe of it. They have an outstanding discipline and as a leader, Katsumoto defend it till the end. Till he fight in an act of determining war. Till he have to die to finish his job for serving the emperor.
And after all, I as a student have learned so many things from a person like Katsumoto. How I have to be objective person and make it prior than my emotion especially in teenager life. How I have to be loyal and dedicate my life through my destination of life, through my idealism. And one thing, that success cannot be happen without a great dedication and discipline of life.***
That's is my essay. Reading it one more time, I feel that I want to see the movie again. This movie is a very good movie to watch and I will never get bored to watch it all over again-like I watch Jumanji hundred times since I was a kid. I feel pretty deep cultural experiment and emotional appearances anytime I watch this movie.
If you haven't seen this movie, I gotta say : Too bad...
=)
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