It's hard to fathom that the day actually came when the curtains closed on debate. It seems to be just yesterday when I walked through Mdm C's door for the first time. An innocent, well meaning freshie. I've known debate since...I don't exactly remember. It made and ruined me. Ruined first, with horrifically inept judging in high school competitions. Enter university, where I bared my teeth and went crazy. Everyone around was nuts. We trained 2 sessions a day (sometimes morning, afternoon, and night) before competition and always had a follow up late night coffee shop banter. The actual debate only ever began after the adjudication - at intense arguments past midnight over a cup of milopeng in some dim coffeeshop. We argued everywhere. While waiting in the car, over lunch. Seniors threw us into the fire. Iron man-ing all 3 speaker roles vs 3 other state prospects. Building cases with a 5 min prep time, presenting them, having another motion thrown at you straight after; and another; and another; and another. Until your brain explodes, but only you never allowed it. Nowadays people want 'fun' debates, which is understandable, since they are not nutcases. I was from the time when we, well, we went to sessions hungry and wolfish and scary like YEAH MAN LET'S DO THIS LET'S GO IT'S SERIOUS BIZ. And we were a tight bunch, always sitting together in the libraries or at lunch. It sometimes got to the point of absurdity when say, 14 debaters insisted on squeezing into an 8 person table. But those moments made me smile.
It was also the first time I drank, built up my non-existent confidence with girls. Did some pretty crazy stuff too (for someone like me at the time). Who'd have known that as part of a dare, I'd be able to walk up to a random girl and put forward the brazen line "Will you be my girlfriend?" only to be rattled just as much with the reply "YES" with an unwavering look in the eye. Though that, was at an international tournament and debaters are infinitely more open and confident than the average girl. Strangely enough, against all logic, broaching the same proposal on a first date with another girl garnered a puzzling no. I've yet to engineer a working model for that (she being not a debater just made it harder! =P). Just don't do that. Don't. Ah. Times that make you look back and puzzle over how you actually got yourself up for it.
Some moments I'd never wish to revisit. The crazy politics, confrontation. The painful growing phase as president of a colourful community. One with the brightest, most eccentric students, yes. But also one with the most sophisticated, sneaky, charming, persuasive, sly, fretful, angsty, scheming, elitist, and narcissistic members. More drama then the drama club. And there was no 'acting' involved in ours. I'll never forget how long it took to bring to obsolescence that infamous label the club carried: "They're rich, arrogant, and drive fast cars". Or how we needed to clarify our coziness with the council (because...strangely enough, we were the council).
And there was more than one conspiracy theory associated with us. My attempt at recruiting a 13 year old genius to the club resulted in a report to the student council president. The Pres was one of us, and he claimed to have been tipped off that we were an 'evil organization trying to abduct'. Is imagination proportionate to intelligence? I think so =). I still wonder which part of my elevator pitch gave that impression. One valuable lesson was learnt during the time when we were behind the fight against charging for the student car park (backing the council president as he was one of us. Yet turning against him later when agendas got awry, but that's a lengthy story on it's own). We eventually lost and I realized how useless arguing semantics was in the real world. As someone I can't be bothered to google said, in the end, it's all politics.
The Warren Harding error (click for explanation)
The Warren Harding error is an idea of Malcolm Gladwell, who first wrote about it in his book 'Blink'. I won't bother to explain it myself here as my readers (3?) will be well acquainted with the idea. During my stay, I learnt more about the world, but one of the most notable lessons was to observe an innate bias in humans towards certain traits. How we primitively make judgements according to very outward features. There was a scenario when I flew to an all girls school to conduct a training session/publicize our tournament. After a mock debate with one of my friends who was notably 'tall, dark, and handsome' and had a nice timbre in his voice vs me (guy who wears specs, nuf said), the attuned judges gave a 7-0 verdict in my favour. The entire hall of girls, however, gave it unanimously to my friend. It was then I believed that this error had meaningful grounds. Humankind does recognize a deeper voice as 'alpha' coupled with physical features. While it was amusing in a high school setting, I'm prepared to know that in real life, it may even be depressing. However, God has vindicated me every single time; and I believe He will do so when I am released into the world.
Debate taught me not to judge (for some it works the other way). It showed me that winning and losing together in a team forges rock solid friendship (especially when it's 'serious biz'). You gotta work with each other and strive to avoid the culture of blaming. I owe debate a huge chunk of my inner circle of beautiful people. Thank you!
And so, I bring this chapter of my life to closure. It was great while it lasted. Thank you for changing my life, SDC. I will never forget the friends I have made, the valuable lessons I have learned.
No comments:
Post a Comment