Original debate topics

[charlottewallis]

Hello all. Asking for a little bit of help.

I need some ideas for debate topics for groups of between 6-14 students, ages 18-21, from different backgrounds, all with a lot to say. Some debates, such as "Is it helpful to give money to the homeless" don't last long because everyone just goes, "it depends on the individual" and agrees. So there's not much of a debate.

Avenue B at it's best knows how to debate better than most, so I ask it's members - what original topics would YOU discuss?

Things we have talked about, among others:

The death penalty
Music is no more than entertainment (very excited response to this one! Was lovely!)
The power of social networking sites
Censorship
Zoos
Globalisation
Immigration
Stem cell research
Euthanasia
Insurance premiums say women are better drivers than men. Discuss.
The next person in power in our country should be...
You love our music but you hate our guts (yeah, I know...but it's an interesting topic!)
Extra terrestrial life
Desert island discs
Happiness is a matter of choice
Is it society's duty to care for those in need?
Is spending on space exploration justified?
Legalisation of marijuana/prostitution
Money=success. Discuss.

Any interesting topics much appreciated! (Light hearted just as much as heavyweigh topics...)

[alison]

Burrrrrrr... engaging brain. How about:

- How has Twitter changed the way we view celebrities?
- Abortion (oh yeah, I bring the fun!)
- Does the UK have a valid claim to the Falkland Islands?
- The gay rights issues going on in Russia lately
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[charlottewallis]

Twitter we've touched on a bit, but not from this angle.

The Falklands and gay rights in Russia issues are brilliant, grey-area topics. Thanks! As is abortion, obviously. I'm saving that for a particularly demotivated group...

[preraphaeliteangel]

How about something about university fees and universities in general - should students be burdened by large loans or should universities be paid for out of general taxation, should as many people as possible be encouraged to go to university or should they be elitist institutions that only a small minority go to, should professions like the police or nursing be all-graduate professions.

Is it fair that (in the UK) rape victims remain anonymous while defendants are always named, even if they are acquitted?

Should the government set a minimum unit price for alcohol?

[MissBehave]

I like the one about the student loans. I couldn't figure out what the deal was and why they should be forgiven until I saw the interest being paid. It's obscene, but it would be a good topic for kids to research.

Single payer system or to word it like the boogeymen do "socialized medicine"


One of my favorites I debate frequently on, vaccination of children. IIRC, Andrew Wakefield was originally a UK doctor, but I don't know if the anti-vaxxers are as prominent there as they seem to be here.


"slut-shaming" is it fair to label someone just because they enjoy sex ? It's sad how many people think it's fine to do just that. The same can go for body-shaming, Why is it okay to make fun of people because they're heavy ?


I'm trying to think of some of the stuff we debate on in political forums I'm on but it seems like you've covered so many of those already.

Oh, I know.

Suing places like McDonalds because *cough* they made you fat. Or suing a bar for serving you too much alcohol and you wreck.


Should a professor be charged with rape for sleeping with a student that's of legal age. (on this some will say yes, others will argue that it is rape by coercion)


Global Warming


Should wild animals be owned by private citizens ?


ETA: I see you're in the UK so several of my suggestions wouldn't work. Sorry.

[charlottewallis]

MissBehave - thanks! I'm actually in France, I should change my profile, but your topics could work just as well here. I think the issue of labelling someone a slut if they have a lot of sex is really interesting, because it comes with the assumption that sex is a bad thing. Which is really weird because it's the most natural thing in the world! We literally could not continue to exist without it.

Cheers preraphealiteangel, the uni fees would be particularly relevant as all these stuents are currently having to find some way of paying for their education.

[MissBehave]

It's weird the slut-shaming thing. I admin a pretty large FB page that are mostly younger moms and I'm older, I'm the one that preaches to "let your freak flag fly" as long as it's consensual and safe, and the younger ones seem to be really uptight. I would love, love to hear what your debate turns up. Of course, Americans have a very prudish attitude towards sex and nudity anyway, it seems.

[She's In Parties]

A one I find interesting is whether people feel that feminism is still relevant -especially to young women. My own views aside, there are people out there that feel that feminism is 'out-dated' and women have everything they could possibly want and should be grateful. The idea came from an article written in my former universities' newspaper exclaiming that 'girls need to just shut up and make their boyfriends a sandwich once in a while' - written by a GIRL. Naturally, this makes for a juicy debate!

[charlottewallis]

Definitely - that's a strange point of view. It's very cool to do something nice like make someone a sandwich because you care. But then that's kind of obvious! But to shut up? Nobody needs to shut up. Wouldn't be OK to say that about men, either.

I think the definition of feminism is something that's interpreted so many different ways. A friend who calls herself a feminist was recently told (by another female friend) that "not all men are bastards, you know". Pretty odd comment, as she doesn't think badly of men at all. All she believes in is equality.

My groups are 99% male, debates around this subject could definitely work, but might save it for a more mixed group. Thanks again for the suggestions people!