Debating Celebrates Humanity
Debating reveals a fundamental fact that is frequently ignored: we all have something in common; I don’t mean shared opinions, but shared concerns.
The time has come. A new version of the WHT Scholars Debate will be held at the historic Oxford Union. The 11th of May 2021 at 6:15 pm we will assemble to debate whether social media platforms have the right to ban politicians. A couple of days ago the oversight board of the largest social media platform in the world, Facebook, argued that they do have that right. The board upheld Donald Trump’s ban from the platform. Nevertheless, the discussion is not closed. Many are against the measure! I will leave the details of the argument to the WHT scholars that will lead the debate in the Union. In this blog post, I just want to celebrate the fact that we are debating. There are many reasons to celebrate debating. But among them, there are three that really make me passionate. First, debating convene us. Second, debating embraces diversity. Third, debating triggers reflection. Let me elaborate further.
The Convening Power of Debates
I am aware that the first reason I mentioned sounds obvious. A debate is of course, at the very least, a meeting of two. But obvious facts are not necessarily irrelevant. In a world profoundly fragmented, often affected by prejudices that fuel segregation and hate amongst communities (very frequently amongst people that don’t even know each other), the ability to bring people together is very powerful and much needed. It reveals a fundamental fact that is frequently ignored: we all have something in common, and when “in common” I don’t mean something that we agree on. No. I am referring to something that we inherently share, a concern, a question, a collective element – whatever form it takes – that reflects a piece of our common humanity.
Hence, even when the apparent goal of debating is to confront opposing claims, a genuine debate humanizes the confrontation. And in that sense, I believe that a debate works as a source of empathy and as an antidote against violence. An extraordinary human invention to experience in peace the forest of our differences and thrive. In fact, the other remarkable capability of debating is precisely congregating people that hold different views. That takes us to the next factor.
Acknowledging, Accepting, and Engaging with Diversity
Our thoughts, our feelings, our beliefs, our values, our arguments, are diverse. We debate because we recognize that we are not a monolith. An authentic debate is based on the premise that, within human communities, different views, positions, opinions should be admitted and acknowledged. Through history debating has been frequently used as an exclusionary mechanism, a conversation between rather similar people that has marginalized and oppressed others. A debate can only be true to itself if it is open to human diversity. This is not to say that debating is simply an exhibition of diversity. It goes beyond mere appreciation. It is a dialectic and active confrontation of differences. Not for domination nor for subjugation, but for collective reflection.
Debates Foster Reflection Among the Debaters and the Audience
Regardless of the distinct strength of the arguments of one side or the other and despite the stated objective to “win” the argument, the idea of debating is built upon the recognition of our intrinsic fallibility. Debating is a critical inquiry of humans’ viewpoints and a powerful rejection of perfection. It allows us to address the fallibility of the ‘opposing’ views but also, if the spirit of the exercise is fully embraced, the fallibility of our own, because we are forced to reflect on the consistency and coherence of our positions. As Timothy Garton Ash wrote in the Free Speech Debate project of St Antony’s College, “we cannot get at the truth unless we are exposed to the relevant facts, opinion and arguments. Even false ones may contain a silver of truth or provoke us to clarify our own as we respond to them”. In a recent podcast we produced in the Oxford Policy Pod, Garton Ash said (precisely discussing freedom of speech in the era of social media) that “’sunlight’ is the best disinfectant”. Following his metaphor I would argue that debating is an essential ‘element’ of the sun.
We look forward to debating on Tuesday in the Union while celebrating the fact that our differences don’t tear us apart but bring us together for an evening of reflection.
