“I’m sorry for what I have to do here.” “Then don’t” “Sorry you just had to listen to that.” “Then why did you do it?” More and more this season I find debaters apologizing to me before and after rounds. This is not entirely new. Ever since I started judging an occasional debater (usually a freshman or sophomore) would apologize for a poor performance. However, that was usually the result of a lack of confidence and/or a debater feeling down on themselves for making dumb mistakes. This year, though, debaters are apologizing for something else altogether, something that I can only characterize as the deliberate infliction of emotional and mental anguish on the judge. This is a problem, and it all comes down to a lack of respect, from both sides. Debaters do not respect the paradigm, preferences, and opinions of judges and judges do not respect debaters enough to be honest about those preferences and opinions. In this first installment in a two part series I will talk about the first half of that respect problem.
Respect: Part I by Chris Theis
Respect: Part I by Chris Theis
Respect: Part I by Chris Theis
“I’m sorry for what I have to do here.” “Then don’t” “Sorry you just had to listen to that.” “Then why did you do it?” More and more this season I find debaters apologizing to me before and after rounds. This is not entirely new. Ever since I started judging an occasional debater (usually a freshman or sophomore) would apologize for a poor performance. However, that was usually the result of a lack of confidence and/or a debater feeling down on themselves for making dumb mistakes. This year, though, debaters are apologizing for something else altogether, something that I can only characterize as the deliberate infliction of emotional and mental anguish on the judge. This is a problem, and it all comes down to a lack of respect, from both sides. Debaters do not respect the paradigm, preferences, and opinions of judges and judges do not respect debaters enough to be honest about those preferences and opinions. In this first installment in a two part series I will talk about the first half of that respect problem.