Finding your voice: How debate transforms communication and connection
A two-time world debate champion tells us how debate can improve our everyday interactions.
Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard
By Bo Seo
Grade: 93
Author Bo Seo, who discovered debate as a youth after moving from his homeland of South Korea to Australia, says the activity helped him in several important ways. For example, as a non-native English speaker, debate helped him better communicate with and interact with his classmates while also providing him with an effective tool for critical thinking, persuasion, and understanding different perspectives.
Understandably, he Initially struggled with confidence in speaking English and feeling out of place, he writes. However, discovering debate provided him with a structured way to express himself, build his language skills, and develop confidence in articulating his thoughts. With Good Arguments, Seo, a two-time world debate champion, uses the book to share the power of debate, and its usefulness in all areas of life, while also sharing some interesting history on the activity as well.
Confession: I discovered Seo’s writing while listening to, you guessed it, a podcast in 2022. Hearing him talk about the power of debate piqued my interest; listening to him break down, in great detail, how to use debate as a powerful tool for learning, discovery, and, yes, winning arguments, made me long to read more of his writing.
However, Good Arguments is not what I expected: I was hoping for a tactical guide to winning debates. What I read is a thoughtful, practical book on how to debate effectively. I’m happy with what I read.
What makes a great debater?
The author argues that what makes a great debater is not just quick thinking or eloquence but the ability to listen and understand opposing viewpoints, then being able to construct well-reasoned arguments. Great debaters also possess the courage to challenge assumptions and the discipline to prepare meticulously, he says.
He lists several characteristics that contribute to becoming a strong debater?
1. Subject-matter expertise,
2. Strong critical and analytical thinking skills,
3. Being an excellent listener,
4. The ability to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively,
5. Adaptability in the face of effective counter arguments, and
6. Emotional intelligence and empathy.
What I found most interesting
A must-read section of the book covers what he calls dirty debaters, folks who misrepresent their opponent’s arguments by appealing to emotions rather than logic, usually via personal attacks, to gain an advantage. Two such tips he recommended in focusing on substance and a willingness to expose the fallacies of the dirty debater.
The key, he says, to handling a dirty debater is to emphasize the core issues and focus on the logic and evidence of the arguments. When you redirect the conversation back to the substance of the argument, he writes, you can showcase the weaknesses in the dirty debaters approach. For instance, if the opponent is misrepresenting your argument (a straw man fallacy), calmly clarify your position and explain the distortion. This can disarm their attempt to deceive or manipulate the conversation.
These two points caught my attention because they make plain how dirty debaters can be outmaneuvered without resorting to their untoward tactics.
What made the book hard to put down for me
My favorite section of the book is where he spoke of the rich history of debate at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). He said the institutions have enjoyed a history of having strong debate programs, many of which produced some of the most compelling voices in public discourse, including Henrietta Bell Wells, who was one of the first women to participate in debate at the collegiate level, and James Farmer Jr., the prominent civil rights leader and co-founder of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) (He was part of the Wiley College debate team from Marshall, Texas, that was depicted in the 2007 film The Great Debaters.)
The author also wrote at length about another Black debater: Malcolm X. Seo writes that X was renowned for his exceptional debating skills. His ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity and conviction made him a formidable debater, writes Seo, making him capable of easily engaging with and persuading audiences on critical social issues.
Who should read the book
Good Arguments is a worthwhile read for several reasons, not least because it emphasizes the importance of debate while highlighting how the skill fosters a desire to seek common ground in tense interactions—something that has become increasingly.