The new Debate Forum - Calling all Fighters

OK folks...

Came up with a couple of ideas for ways to streamline things so that we can bring this forum back to life and move it forward in a much more streamlined manner.

There's still a bit of tweaking needed, but expect a formal announcement thread in the next few days.

a reply to: Hefficide

Thanks for making an effort to revive this old corpse, Heff! You're a good man.

I'm in, we'll have to see about my other Fighters.

So, it's been a month, and forgive my impatience, but "expect a formal announcement thread in the next few days"?

Any sort of announcement thread will do, Heff!

Sorry for the period of quiet folks!

Some of you should have gotten fighter status yesterday/today. That is where I/we are at in the process. However ( spoiler alert ) I was planning, in the next couple of days, to post something here - but now works as well!

My hope is that we can find two experienced fighters from the group who'd be willing to engage in an inaugural debate to get things rolling. Sort of a refresher course / setting the table sort of thing for all involved ( including myself as I'm rusty as all get-out as well ).

You know - a bang to get things started.

I'm just at a bit of a loss as to a good subject to get off on the right foot with. However I have no doubt that y'all will offer some incredible ideas in that regard!

So any and all, feel free to chime in!

And to those who've requested fighter status but haven't received it yet - please be patient. There is something of a process involved in that and we're working through the list!

Oh and apologies for the long period of quiet. We've been going behind the scenes but February was a busy month for me in my non-binary world and free time was difficult to come by.

Long story short - a relative fell ill a few weeks ago and, sadly, passed away last night. The funeral is Thursday and after that I'll be in a position to focus on this forum much more enthusiastically.

a reply to: Hefficide

I can only offer condolences for your loss.

If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.


Plenty of topics to choose from, doesn't even have to be current events.

a reply to: Hefficide

Cryptocurrencies.
Media and its future.
Medical and recreational marijuana use and the hypocrisy to its legality.
Is basic knowledge still taught and upheld in public schools.

originally posted by: Hefficide
So any and all, feel free to chime in!

Okay, I'm in there.

Proposed... a complete outsider is what America needs, as President.

I am, obviously, in favour of. Willing to take on anyone who thinks otherwise.

Long story short - a relative fell ill a few weeks ago and, sadly, passed away last night. The funeral is Thursday and after that I'll be in a position to focus on this forum much more enthusiastically.

Very sorry for your loss, Heff

a reply to: adjensen

That's an excellent debate topic but I believe it would come down to a subjective debate about what constitutes an "outsider", and attempting to trap the opponent in their own definition. Perhaps a topic such as "Random Selection Of Moderately Qualified Political Candidates Would Create A More Healthy Democratic Republic". For example, picking one small-town mayor at random every four years.

originally posted by: Ian McLeanThat's an excellent debate topic but I believe it would come down to a subjective debate about what constitutes an "outsider"

That's kind of the point. Debates are subjective.

You need to establish what "outsider" means, and then defend it (if you're in favour of it, as I would be, in my proposed debate.) If you're not in favour of it, or you discount it, make that opposition your basis.

I once promoted, in here, Trotskyism, because I took it up against Stalinism, neither of which I agreed with.

If you want to hold the title of "Fighter," you'll stop deflecting challenges and take up anything, because you want that title. If ATS is going to diminish this forum to a few debates between people who are fervent backers of their own personal opinion, they've lost their way.

Thanks, Heff, for the Fighter status!

I certainly hope we can, for the most part, not create too many partisan debates. I'm really bored with all of the same things over and over in the mud-pit. Yes, I know I don't have to read them but it's hard to ignore on the 'recent' page.

Millennials could be a fun topic. Are they privileged or do they really have it worse than the previous generation?

a reply to: adjensen

If you want to hold the title of "Fighter," you'll stop deflecting challenges and take up anything, because you want that title. If ATS is going to diminish this forum to a few debates between people who are fervent backers of their own personal opinion, they've lost their way.

You understand the spirit of the debates. The skills are what members display in these forums rather than their beliefs. Champions can apply the debating skills to any topic even when they find it distasteful or perpendicular to their own opinions. It can be an antidote to complacency and fire people up to look at an 'obviously wrong' idea in fresh ways too.

Ideally, the debates will be less about politics and more about other topics so they aren't just a derivative of main board posts.

Possible debates: euthanasia, fuel emissions, missions to Mars, self-driving cars, history versus contemporary, Elvis versus Bieber, coal or gas, austerity versus QE, NFL versus 'soccer,' human-caused mass extinctions Vs natural causes, drug laws Vs legalise, incarcerate to improve society or educate? etc etc.

a reply to: LogicalGraphitti

I certainly hope we can, for the most part, not create too many partisan debates.

Amen friend

Millennials could be a fun topic. Are they privileged or do they really have it worse than the previous generation?

Or childhood. Is modern childhood better than, say, one in the 60s/70s/80s? Does the digital music player kick the ass of record players and collections? Modern humanity is better off than classical humanity.

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: adjensen

missions to Mars

Proposed... missions to Mars, to establish another human outpost, or to spend that money on planet Earth, to avoid the need for another outpost.

In putting this forth, I know that one of those positions is essentially indefensible, but I'll take it up, anyway, if someone wants to have at it.

Come at me, bro, lol.

Hey folks!

Sorry for the delays. Life got insane for a bit and then my graphics card died - leaving me with a computer that worked awesome... Just with no video signal at all. But that's sorted now.

So mea culpa and apologies!

Now... Given the fact that I've put the revival of this forum behind schedule and over budget... Time to dispense with the formalities and get the ball rolling ASAP. I think we'll skip the grand opening with the balloons and live band and just get down to business immediately.

As I catch up on posts, if any fighters have already found subjects and adversaries to debate them with, PM me and we'll get going at everyone involved's earliest convenience.

a reply to: adjensen

I'll take you on either side for presidential outsider. What are our time constraints for debates?

Sorry wrong forum

a reply to: adjensen

I would try this one too! Either side.

a reply to: JinMI

I would venture into the weed debate, crypto a bit out of my league.

Schools would be a second choice


Oh missed media future that is a good one as well!

That would be my first choice.

I would enjoy reading a debate about crypto.

Where is everyone?? Lol.

What about hypnosis...false memory creator or valid therapy?

Or what about global warming aka now climate change fact or fiction? either side.

Or vaccinations to do or not to do?

Future professions, liberal arts or computer coding? What does the future need more of?

originally posted by: tiredoflooking
climate change fact or fiction?

either side.

Climate change, fact.

Go ahead and counter that -- disclosure: I have multiple degrees and extensive academic training in climatology, meteorology and physical geography.

So, per our old guidelines:

Proposed: Climate change is real

Pro: adjensen
Con: tiredoflooking

Heff, take it from there!