These “would-be philosophers” are not your average students. They are debaters.

Debating has become more than a pastime for Bangladeshi schools; it is almost a staple of everyday national life.

However, the question from the outside always remains: “Is the stress really worth it? Or is it really a group of children bickering for fun?”

Although that scepticism is reasonable, it completely misses the mark.

The real persuasion is not about trophies. It is about the fact that everyone should step onto that podium at least once.

Not to become a professional orator, but to learn how to actually think, listen, and hold your ground in a world that is getting louder and less logical by the second.

The discipline behind the disagreement

At its heart, debate is not about “winning” an argument; it is about the discipline of having one.

A good round compels you to sort out your internal mess. It makes you maintain composure when your emotions want to take control and requires proof when you would otherwise depend on assumptions.

Debate, according to most people, is about proving your point at all costs.
Actually, the reverse is true: you must be so familiar with your opponent’s position that you could essentially argue it on their behalf.

It teaches you to think on your feet, what we call “impromptu thinking”. It is the ability to take a chaotic pile of ideas and turn them into a story that actually makes sense. Perhaps most importantly, it teaches you to listen.

In a debate, if you stop paying attention, you lose. It turns out that giving someone else the floor does not make you look weak; it makes your own case stronger.

Debate, according to Sourodip Paul, a business strategist at Cambridge University Press & Assessment and one half of the world champion team of the 2022 World University Debating Championship (WUDC), is about “logical discipline”.

“You cannot just go with the flow or trust your instincts,” he says. “Before you can construct, you must take a moment to consider the facts.”

He also highlights patience, which is sometimes disregarded. Debate compels you to refrain from interrupting while you wait, think, and react. You maintain that emotional equilibrium long after the round has ended.

Then there is the reality that you will certainly lose. Debate, in Sourodip’s opinion, is a safe place to fail. A loss is an opportunity rather than a setback, the point at which you realise that your opponent’s reasoning was more persuasive than your logic.

Lubaba Mehzabeen Prima, currently a graduate research assistant at Michigan State University, began debating in the seventh grade. She saw argument as more about learning than talking. You must remain knowledgeable if you want to survive a competitive round.

You are compelled to examine world events and challenge the “obvious” narratives from every perspective.

According to her, “Debating is an art form that helps one articulate ideas efficiently. It also removes any stage fright one might have. It teaches one to sharpen their arguments instead of raising their voice.”

Why every voice needs a round

Future attorneys and “gifted” children should not be the only ones who engage in debate. It is for everyone who has ever felt pressured by a room full of people observing them or who has struggled to find the proper words.

Everyone is entitled to the experience of being taken seriously, challenged, and heard.

It develops a particular type of emotional control and consistency that is becoming increasingly uncommon in today’s world. Although we frequently go through life unconcerned about the way we communicate, the effects of a single argument are apparent.

It prepares you not only for a competition but also for difficult conversations, career changes, and significant choices that characterise adulthood.

While there are other ways to develop, debate is one of the tested ones. Give that instinct of yours, the urge to be heard and taken seriously, a chance. You never know; it might change your life forever.