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Do You Understand Why People Who Disagree With You Believe What They Believe?
Do you really? I mean…really?
When I was a student at George Mason University many years ago (yes, I’m getting older), I was (for one full year and then part of another) on the Debate Team. I loved it. I learned more from my time on the Debate Team than I did in the vast majority of my classes.
Being a collegiate debater taught me to research and back up my arguments. It also taught me to understand all (or at least most major) sides of a given issue.
During my novice year as a debater, our topic was fossil fuel consumption — particularly how to reduce it. As part of that topic, we had to research everything from the coal, oil, and gas industries to climate change and from the automotive industry to alternative energy sources. And much more. We had to learn the ins and outs of all these topics — and be prepared to argue for or against policy proposals related to them.
This was invaluable training. And I took those skills with me moving forward.
Whether the issue is related to religion, politics, sex, gender, race, law enforcement, health care, science, technology, whatever…
Whatever the issues might be on the news or in a given election…
