Was there a guy who used to argue for it in a “well, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with it if done voluntarily” Heinlein-esque way at EVERYBODY’S high school, or just at mine?
If I were to try and describe him, I'd probably say "have you watched the fly? Well imagine Seth Brundle steps out of the teleporter and the machine has replaced his vocal chords with fly wings. Also he's not a teleportation scientist, he's just a cunt."
The “Debate me, bro!”-bros are utterly insufferable. They are the absolute least likely to even understand what a good faith argument is, much less adhere to one. Having done it competitively it just makes them even more convinced of their “invincibility”.
My debate teacher let me cheat on an online test she was my proctor for, and looked the other way when half my team came back for the afternoon debates smelling skunky.
But I tell you what, that little Idaho high school debate team brought back tons more trophies than its football team.
For context, three different algebra teachers had given up on me, but my school ran out of English electives for me to take. Burnt out gifted kid to adult autism diagnosis pipeline is real, folks.
Last holiday I snapped and told my debate-me sibling (yes, a Heinlein fan and QANON devotee and THAT KID in hs) that they wouldn’t know a real debate if it hit them upside the head, debate teams require facts and logic. They’re still not speaking to me
