When debate becomes a spectacle

It was the finals of a prestigious debate contest in one of the reputed schools in the country. Four teams comprising smartly dressed teenagers were seated, and the crowd waited in silence. What ensued, however, was more like a ‘roasting’ showdown between students than an actual academic discourse. Dismissive tones, slight mockery, and wry humour aimed at dismantling character took precedence over interrogating ideas or calling out a lack of evidence. Between argument and amusement, debate in schools has quietly turned into a performance. But can we really blame the students alone?

Debate as an intellectual process has a long-standing history. It was a classic method of dialogue and engagement to probe and seek truth and was an inevitable way of learning and understanding, especially in ancient Greece and Athens. As Aristotle puts it, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” It is the capacity to engage in an argument, to heed opposing views without being dismissive or defensive.