A reason to debate
Today Alvin and Huiling, two of the people that I shared an office with across the road from here (in my former contract), came by to invite us for lunch. The reason was to celebrate Alvin’s scholar ship. He had been attempting to get one for the entire three months that we were in an office together.He said that we deserved lunch because in part we helped him get the scholarship. How did we (unbeknown to us) help him get a scholarship you ask? Read further and yea shall be enlightened. When Alvin managed to get himself to the last round of the scholarship award, getting up there through good marks and extra curricular activities, he was confronted with a number of other ‘contestants’ and then asked ‘what are your thoughts about the new Prime Minister of Singapore’.
We take a trip back in time to when we spent three months together in a office far far away from the rest of Human Resources to find that we spent hours upon hours debating the pros and cons of Singapore. Krist, Alvin, myself and (infrequently) Huiling would engage in ‘friendly’ debates about what did and what didn’t work in Singapore’s political landscape.
I would spew out my (by now well known) liberal dogma and they would react with proper Singaporean trained conservatism (though they could hardly agree on a thing themselves). The result was interesting round and round discussions, with (often) them against me, or (occasionally) one of them the victim of a joint front.
Jeseph Joubert said "It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it." And in this case that was very true, because inevitably we would not come to any agreement, but the debate still led to something.
In this case it contributed to a jelling of ideas in Alvin’s mind that allowed him to realise the folly of the other’s arguments and clinch the debate as a ‘winner’ for himself.
Of course I’m undoubtedly claiming far too much credit, but sometimes its necessary to over exaggerate our own role in matters, especially if nobody else is willing to praise us into the heavens.
Three ‘hurrahs’ for Alvin and his Scholarship, that his extra cash in hand might contribute to a great number of my lunches.
posted by Symbol @ 18.8.04
2 Comments:
Some people actually get offended when you raise legal & valid arguments against their opinions, while others - like Alvin and I - learnt from them! You taught me to challenge 'challenges' back without being over-defensive. But instead with an open mind and you taught me how to stay focused in the points I try to make. You never offend people. When they do get upset, their generally narrow minded people anyway. It's proven fact! ($5)
Sometimes your comments offend people but there are others - like Alvin and me - who learnt from you! You taught me how to be open-minded and to focus on the points I try to make. That you don't have to be aggressive or take it as if you have lost just because someone has a different point. I also said something about there really being people out there who are narrow minded enough to be upset with your legal / valid arguments but the Blog ate up my original comment... anyway Baby I just think you are altogether great!! ($5)
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