Don’t Debate Donald Trump
A debate bestows legitimacy
I know lots of people are looking forward to a debate. I am not.
Debate is a precious and respected tradition with the assumption that each participant is of equal status.
Donald Trump doesn’t actually debate. He is playing a different game.
His game is to make outrageous statements to attract and stir the members of his base. He uses airtime to list grievances, false statements, and dog whistles.
Debate has played a crucial role throughout history as a means of refining ideas, shaping societies, and promoting democratic values. Its historical importance can be seen in several key areas:
In ancient Greece, citizens valued debate as part of the forum for the great philosophers and the issues of their time. The practice and rules of debate evolved over time.
Debate was a way of sharing knowledge and examining aspects of life.
”The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Socrates referenced by Plato used debate to get to the truth and share wisdom.
Debating has built-in historical value and beauty, none of which Donald Trump practices. For him, it is simply another form of free airtime to be exploited.