A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Saturday will be traditional Jewish Christmas Day here on Ricochet, where I'll be giving the traditional holiday meal a twist by ordering the vegetarian specials from the Hong Kong Kitchen and keeping the conversation going all day long. I'll make sure we have the traditionally loud argument about the rabbi, the chartered accountant, the chicken and the cow from Minsk.
Sunday is when the real excitement starts.
Here's the idea. We have a lot of debates on Ricochet that get very lively, but they just sort of dwindle out. They never get resolved.
We've decided it's time to resolve a major issue of our time, once and for all.
We're going to have a formal debate, with a winner. We're thinking something like the Oxford Union, but without the appeasement and the cowardice.
Here's what's going to happen.
Step 1: We're going to put up the proposition. Then you'll cast your initial vote by means of the "like" button.
Step 2: We'll have a preliminary open discussion, much like our usual discussions.
Step 3: We'll establish two threads, one for those for the motion, one for those against it. These threads will be highly moderated. We'll be asking you to substantiate factual claims and we'll be deleting anything off-topic.
Step 4: The editors will prepare summaries of the arguments and post them.
After this, all who voted initially may vote again.
The link to the debate will stay at the top of the page throughout, and will become a permanent part of the Annals of Ricochet--the resolved Ricochet position.
We're thinking one day for each step.
Suggestions for the resolution?
- Comment (60)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (4)
Comments :
May '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
By resolutions do you mean the propositions over which the debate will occur?
Jun '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Sounds great but I don't get the voting part.
The motion: Claire is to acquire three more cats to make an even ten. Those in support of the proposition will signify their approval by clicking the "Like" button now, and those opposed....what?
There is no "Dislike" button and I don't know how to determine the number of members participating to do the math. Even then, the mushy moderates with no formed opinion are disregarded.
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Yes.
Oct '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Awe come on. Unformed opinions help us dissect these complex problems. Though remembering principles can be difficult (but that's what Ricochet is for!).
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Pilgrim: Sounds great but I don't get the voting part.
The motion: Claire is to acquire three more cats to make an even ten. Those in support of the proposition will signify their approval by clicking the "Like" button now, and those opposed....what?
There is no "Dislike" button and I don't know how to determine the number of members participating to do the math. Even then, the mushy moderates with no formed opinion are disregarded. · Dec 23 at 3:44am
I was going to explain this later so that it didn't look too complicated. We'll just have two comments underneath the thread. Comment 1: In favor. (Press "like.") Comment 2: Against. (Press "like.") Make sense? Perhaps there should be an "undecided," too--that's a good point.
Sep '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
The Motion: The Blue Yeti is a uniformly kinder and gentler Ricochet persona than the Logo.
Secondary Motion: Darth Vader is The Logo's father.
Jun '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Claire, you must have been the kid at the party that always organized the games. Sounds fun, if my wife doesn't have any plans for me, I will drop in and try to contribute.
Sep '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
The motion: Violence within Islam makes the existence of moderate Islamic forces irrelevant and ineffectual.
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Yeah, my mom still has the report cards noting this, as well as the one from the teacher who predicted my complete failure in life if my notebook organization skills didn't improve.
Sep '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
The motion: Steve Hackett's solo career has been a complete waste of time since he left Genesis.
In favor: James Lileks.
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
We've really been discussing that one to death. I'm against it on "not again" grounds.
Sep '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
We've really been discussing that one to death. I'm against it on "not again" grounds. · Dec 23 at 5:07am
Might want to rethink the "to death" part. Well, its settled then. Steve Hackett's solo career hangs in the balance.
Dec '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Resolved: There is a heaven and a hell and people choose their destiny.
Oct '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
"The United States cannot export liberty" or "Isolationism is both fiscally essential and morally defensible " or "extending liberty is a moral imperative"
My brain isn't functioning properly, but when I suggested something similar on the assignment desk thread, Kenneth promptly told me "we had already been there" and directed me to a thread he had started. Yes, it was long, but far from resolved. The moral side to isolationism is tricky and bothers me immensely. Do we have an obligation to help our fellow man? Does it stop at the border? Can liberty be spread by force or only by example? When is war justified? In that thread people would assert that we must stay in this country and we must leave that country, and the unspoken assumptions were many.
I would be very interested in this - the Cato Institute had a book forum about a book entitled Empire for Liberty: A History of American Imperialism from Benjamin Franklin to Paul Wolfowitz, that put paid to Kenneth's assertion that America had never been or wished to be an empire, and there is certainly no agreement amongst the great unwashed members.
Dec '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Resolved: America is doomed. All that was good about her is dying, it's people are weaklings and cowards, no one will fight for liberty now, and the descent into a bureaucratic nightmare has begun and it can't be stopped.
Jul '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Resolved: The centralizing force of the Obama government is too great for its momentum to be overcome, let alone reversed.
Aug '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Dang it. Too bad visiting relatives makes it almost certain that I'll miss this skirmish.
Jul '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
The motion: Stove Top or Potatoes?
Jun '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Resolved: Midget should ditch the relatives and participate fully in the Ricochet Debate or, alternatively
The Congress of the United States has enrolled a Bill:"It no longer being in the interest of the United States to prosecute the war in Afganistan, funding for said war shall be limited to that necessary to insure the safety of military personnel and for the orderly withdrawal of personnel and equipment. Resolved: The President should veto such bill.
Edited on Dec 23, 2010 at 6:32amNov '10
Re: A Preview of the Weekend's Festivities at Ricochet
Great idea, but you have forgotten a critical element of the Traditional Jewish Christmas Day Siddur -- the movie. (Insert Zero Mostel belting out "Tradition!" here) Will you be able to catch a film between Chinese food and argumentation? Your English-language film options are probably limited, but there are always DVDs.