No longer just reserved for after-school clubs, solely found at universities, or only frequented by the budding politician-type, debating societies have become part of a new mainstream culture, which has a profound interest in global events and current affairs.
Whether you are interested in politics (both domestic and global), history, media, literature or the slightly more obscure, then the debating scene is a brilliant way of exchanging ideas, discussing your subject of interest and arguing your point in front of complete strangers. Beats watching Saturday night TV any day!
In London, Intelligence Squared is the leading debating forum. It regularly provides a unique platform for the world’s leading figures in politics, journalism, and the media to contest the most important issues of the day with audiences ranging from 800 to 2,500. Employing the classic “Oxford Union” style of debating, the world’s leading speakers are pitched against each other with a clearly defined motion, to try and win over the votes of the audience through intellectual argument, charm and persuasion.
Intelligence Squared members can also access a huge database of Controversies, an archive of topics, which provides succinct and lucid analyses of major issues in politics, technology, the arts and other fields, breaking down each topic into the arguments for and against.
If you prefer your debates slightly more obscure then The Last Tuesday Society, also based in London, will be the perfect place to go. A ‘pataphysical organization founded by William James at Harvard in the 1870s, the society is “devoted to exploring and furthering the esoteric, literary and artistic aspects of life in London and beyond”. Upcoming talks include ‘Natural Allies: Art and Other Lifeforms’ and - for Valentine’s – ‘How to deal with a broken heart’.
For more info on debating societies in your area, have a look at BritishDebate.com
image:intelligencesquared.com
