Privileged Motion No 3, Mr Chairman...

Via Julian Sanchez, here’s a documentary I hope reaches DC soon. Just the ticket: a movie about – drum roll please – debating. Like Julian, mind you, I’d rather it focused on proper debating – by which i mean, naturally, British Parliamentary style – rather than the mad, mad, mad world of American Policy debating which is not, frankly, debating at all. If you don’t believe me just watch the movie’s trailer which, however unfairly, gives the impression that Policy Debating is an activity for autistic weirdos rather than an elegant – if disputatious – entertainment aimed at, you know, persuading* people of the validity of your case. Instead, the Policy format treats debating as though it were some tortuous never-ending lawsuit rather than a convivial after-dinner activity over port and cigars.

As best I can recall from my own debating days (some of them – well a couple – halcyon!), the American style is alternately baffling and dreary, prizing the ability to spit out facts and arguments as though one were a machine-gun wielding automaton with precious few points on offer for style or wit or the possession of a vaguely plausible manner…