An enlightening chat

Ever wondered why some people don't like EDEB8? Here's a conversation with a guy who called all EDEB8 members "young teenage cheats":

http://www.edeb8.com/blog/Conversation+with+an+EDEB8+critic

admin: Interesting convo.
I think he definitely has some points if this site was going to take scoring super seriously, (for example to try and replicate a specific competition environment) but there would be things we could implement to handle that if the need arose. I think the current system is, on balance, the best option that's available. I certainly think we get more feedback on debates and better quality feedback.

Personally, unless I have a super vested interest in the debate, like a certain flag debate, I actually don't really mind the final decision.

I've totally seen plagerism on this site and I think I even called it out at the time. Its not hard to spot and I don't know that it really makes a big difference. This isn't a competition for crying out loud, its not like my win/loss record actually MEANS anything in the real world!

Finally, I agreed with EVERYTHING you said about the young people. I hate stupid childish comments as much as the next grumpy old person, but these kids are pretty harmless... So far. Every generation has good stuff to contribute and young people don't have a monopoly on stupid comments.
I personally really like the balance of serious and fun we have going on here.

admin: I agreed with the sentiments mentioned about online debating. I do see quite a bit of problems that coincide with online debating. Many people that win at online debating, would never be a good debater in the real world.

Tophatdoc: I'm sure online debating has improved my real world debating though. It's all about practice and getting other perspectives on things. Even real world debating is not really about winning, nor about being the most truthful, so much as it's about having fun and learning stuff.

Would you people believe there's been several people contacting me with stuff like this? I need to employ a monkey to help me answer my emails...

Do you think he pointed things towards me in your convo?

admin: My opinion is that debating is about winning lol. I have a conversation if I am I interested in learning about someone's opinion. More importantly, if I want to understand a topic, I will delve into the books myself or if I am lazy, I will use the Internet to search topics.

It would seem there would be more hate mail as the site gets larger with more members.

Tophatdoc: Debating is to get better at debating and then win.

Pinkie: #winning

Tophatdoc: #win #yay #fun #beatthecrapoutofdemall #hastagsareoverrated #succeed #triumph #prevail #defeat #LMFAO

Pinkie: I know for certain he talked about you, but his primary criticism was directed against one other member.

Tophatdoc: I had a team I coached once who thought the same. They didn't last long. Got 5 losses in a row then quit.

admin: What did he say?

admin: Interesting but that is one team out of so many. I know of a team who wanted to debate for fun and never won a debate. Intentions and skills are not required to go together.

Pinkie: Probably best left unsaid.

admin: Oh. Okay.

Tophatdoc: People learn from mistakes and get better with practice. Skills tend to align more with intentions over time. In my second year of high school we were thrust from the bottom league to the top league due to an administrative error. We ended up going from a middling result in the bottom league to making the quarter-finals at regionals and placing 10th in the final standings. Every time I've seen people debate in higher leagues their skills actually grow to match the level of competition pretty quickly if they intend to compete. It's intense.

admin: Meant final year of high school. Second year of doing debating. #lifebeginsatdebate

admin: Does he hate me?

Pinkie: If the emails he sent me are anything to go by I think he actively dislikes everybody. But I'm not in a position to judge.

admin: He seems like my kinda guy. I actively dislike people as a hobby too.