Community Debate
About a couple of thousand years ago, the citizens of Athens regularly held public assemblies. During those assemblies the people voted for or against the policies and actions of the state. The citizens were the ones who decided whether they would wage a war and how they would fight it. The citizenry created the laws that greatly impacted their daily life. The voting was always preceded by a community debate where citizens and leaders argued about the right choices, based on morals and the legal system and on what was possible and prudent. They debated on how to best achieve the targeted outcome.
Debates are meant to encourage critical thinking, personal expression, and tolerance of others’ opinions. It helps to instill discipline, truthfulness and respect for other people. Today, debates are still essential to guarding democracy. Like our predecessors in ancient Greece, people can argue about what is best for their societies and shape the course of law, policy, and action.
It is conducted in governing assemblies, done in lecture halls and public squares, presented in colleges and universities, recorded in newspaper and magazine columns, heard over the radio, or watched on the television and now of course done in cyberspace.
While urbanization tends to cause the breakdown of the extended family comprised of relatives and neighbors as individuals get more and more isolated, the Internet appears to be a possible solution. But are debate communities on the web “real” enough to foster the quality of personal commitment and growth we associate with community life, or are they weak and ultimately insufficient substitutes for human interaction? Is it truly capable of invigorating public life? Or will it serve to further fragment communities by giving the people the option to associate with those who hold the same opinions that they hold? Philosophers are still arguing over this issue.
Meanwhile let us continue to build around ideas, discussion and democracy. Let’s work towards participating in compelling and meaningful debates that will help groups of people acquire the skill of sorting through issues, various viewpoints and differing opinions so that consensus and understanding can be reached and better decisions can be made. It will also develop the participants’ communication skills in group situations so that they might effectively handle and evaluate issues affecting the entire community. This will also help the participants understand what steps they must take in order to develop a clearer and stronger set of values.
It’s actually simple to find the debates that concern you and most interest you. Take an active part now.