How do you get into a debate?

How do you get into a debate? Also, what is that banner on the side that says: "Labour wins"? I don't get it.

u2u intrepid and ask to join the next debate...

the "labour wins" was the british elections...

what is that banner on the side that says: "Labour wins"? I don't get it.

That was for the UK election, Labour won, (Tony blair)

Take a look at this link and im sure it will explain what you need to know here on ats,

Debates
In the Debates forum, members can participate in structured debates with other ATS posters. If you are interested in joining a debate, please send a U2U to Kano. Please note that you must be assigned the status of "Fighter" by Kano before you can post in this forum.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I would encourage any person entering the organized debating to do your best and to stick it out. Know that you want the experience and make sure you can meet the posting frequency requirements to have a good go at it.

A couple of tournaments have turned into shambles with withdrawals of contestants all over the place. Stuff happens, but to play the game be ready to play the game.

(ironic coming from a Scholar-Writer-non-"Fighter").

Why aren't you a "fighter", MA? I suspect that you would be an outstanding debater.

That may be so, who knows, but not at ATS.

Debating (even under its misnomenclature of "fighting") is the only area of ATS where in a two-person contest there is an identified winner and a loser. I see ATS more about win-win scenarios, not trophies and ego gratification.

Want to debate on that?

I agree.

Personally I enjoy reading debates, but I find them largely pointless beyond the pure entertainment and educational value, because the yea or nay of a topic is decided on the debating skills of the participants rather than on the absolute truth of the matter. A brilliant debater against a lackluster opponent could quite conceivably win when arguing for the proposition that "Hitler was a martyr and a saint." What would that victory prove? Nothing.



edit: "i before e, except after c"

[edit on 2005/5/19 by wecomeinpeace]

Your current Galloway avatar seems to reinforce that point very effectively.

But I wager that 90%+ of ATS readers would not recognize this master debater/fighter without the caption you have given him.

I have another issue with on-line debating, which is that I don't like representing positions that are diametrically opposed to my own on issues of core values, whether there is something to be learned from "masquerading" or not.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
I would encourage any person entering the organized debating to do your best and to stick it out. Know that you want the experience and make sure you can meet the posting frequency requirements to have a good go at it.

A couple of tournaments have turned into shambles with withdrawals of contestants all over the place. Stuff happens, but to play the game be ready to play the game.

I'm still sad from the last one ending prematurely. But really, if you're up for it then do it. It's loads of fun, and it's a great spectacle. The arguments are fantastic.