Carolina Debate Union hosts first event of the semester
The Carolina Debate Union, USC’s only organization devoted to the practice of civil discourse, began the semester with an argument over the timely question: Does technology improve or impede communication?
“We’re trying to find topics that will interest people,” Debate Union President James Strickland, a fourth-year history student, said. “They can range anywhere from light to very serious. In the past, we’ve argued on the death penalty and immigration reform.”
Just under 20 students, including returning debaters and curious freshmen, turned up in the Senate Chambers Thursday evening to hear Debate Union Vice President and second-year economics student Sam Somani affirm the house resolve that the “Google culture” is indeed the “culmination of generations’ worth of ‘You get me?’” — that is, members of society are now better able to communicate and understand each other thanks to increased technology. According to Somani, since search engines and social media websites have allowed a greater number of people to share an uninhibited number of ideas, then naturally, a wider exchange leads to better connection, more thinking and improved consideration.
“Abstract ideas are the underpinnings of society,” Somani said. “Technology has removed the limitations of human memory on those ideas and has lowered the price of sharing them.”
On the opposing side, third-year media arts student Kim Redmond rebuffed Somani’s argument, citing that 90 percent of what humans express is nonverbal, and such important nonverbal expression, such as the reading of body language, is lost in the depersonalized world of virtual communication.
“When we discuss abstract ideas outside personal conversation, we have no personal response, giving no real measure of quality or affirmation,” Redmond said. “Simply allowing people to say anything they want doesn’t necessarily give us the best results.”
After several additional rounds of alternating five-minute arguments and rebuttals, a six-to-five vote from audience members proved Redmond the winner, with her ultimate conclusion that in terms of communication, more is not better, and our technological advances may leave individuals more isolated than ever before.
Debate Union members determined through a vote on the topic for next week’s discussion, which will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Senate Chambers. Strickland and fourth-year African American studies student Dominique Grate will defend the ironic house position that President Barack Obama is the “best Republican president in the history of the United States” against challengers, fourth-year classics student Joel Iliff and fourth-year political science student Austin Jackson, who will argue that Obama has not betrayed the ideals of the Democratic party.
According to Strickland, the Debate Union will host two outdoor debates on the Russell House patio in the fall and will host guest speakers, including former USC Law School Dean Walter Pratt. Students who engage in at least two debates are eligible to apply for organization membership.