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“Kids are doing something differently from how we used to do it” is always a red flag for me. The fact that traditional high school debate produced leaders suc
by drewrv 3y ago
“Kids are doing something differently from how we used to do it” is always a red flag for me.
The fact that traditional high school debate produced leaders such as Nixon, Pelosi, and Larry Summers is not the ringing endorsement of the process that the author seems to think.
I think this a compelling argument: “minimum wage is an irrelevant debate in a country where basic necessities such as housing, healthcare, and education are increasingly out of reach. Structural reforms are needed, not minor adjustments to regulations that often go ignored.”
If people don’t think that’s compelling, I’d love to hear that argument! But the author’s complaint is framed as “kids today are doing it wrong” and it doesn’t really counter the points the kids are making.
- whimsicalism 3y agoCheers - the point is that it is up for debate! "I don't think this is how debate should be!" Okay? If it is so obvious why this is bad, win the argument in the round.
- vacuity 3y agoIf things were so obvious, we wouldn't need the debates. Your first line is most correct, in that many things are up to debate because even if the general tack is right, nuances matter.
- Aunche 3y ago>I think this a compelling argument: “minimum wage is an irrelevant debate in a country where basic necessities such as housing, healthcare, and education are increasingly out of reach. Structural reforms are needed, not minor adjustments to regulations that often go ignored.” If your argument is that the minimum wage distracts is from systemic reforms, then that's still a policy argument, albeit one that likely wouldn't get far. A kritik is basically saying minimum wage assumes the existence of capitalism and capitalism is bad. A socialist policy maker isn't going to use that as an excuse to vote against a higher minimum wage.
- whimsicalism 3y agoWhat? The original argument made is absolutely a valid kritik and a far stronger link by the way than the one you are presenting as a strawman
- Aunche 3y agoMy point is that the original argument made is not a kritik because it is still arguing against the policy of minimum wage, which is why it's a stronger argument, even if it wouldn't score you many points in a competition.