Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates: A Podcast Where Agreement Meets Argument

People still debate but not that the American public can see. Television has transformed what used to be legitimate debate scenarios on news and information programs where experts from differing political views marshal facts to make their argument.

Today, Fox News, OAN, MSNBC and other networks create the veneer of debate but instead attack a person with a differing view – say a recent advocate of wearing masks and social distancing on Fox News – by screaming sound bite epithets and dismissing the opponent’s facts with condescending howls of “fake news.”

Radio offers politically charged talk show hosts with extreme views designed to capture ears, ratings and make advertisers happy. Even sports call-in shows may begin as “debates’ about whether Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame (he should) and descends into a mud pit of screaming, wild accusations of insufficient fandom or a lack of perspective that they’re talking about sports – not real life.

Podcasts, so far, seem to have a better track record on structuring dignified debates and KCRW’s Left Right & Center, for example, proves that at least the semblance of intelligent debate still exists.

There is a podcast that scrupulously follows a formal debate format and offers listeners an intellectually vibrant and fact-based discussion on critical topics in our society.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates podcast is funded and produced by a non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S., which was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches millions of viewers and listeners through multi-platform distribution, including radio, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV.

With over 180 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.

The debate team

While high school students on the debate team may suffer adolescent slings and arrows, debate participants seem to outperform non-debate students. While only 50 percent of high school students in urban schools graduate, 90 percent of urban high school debaters graduate. In addition, 72 percent of high-risk secondary-school debaters graduate versus just 43 percent of high-risk non-debaters. They also score better on ACT and SAT tests, get into better colleges, and perform better once in college.  Furthermore, pupils do not need to debate forever to see results — even one or two debate experiences improve performance (though for every semester a student debates, grades go up).
Former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan under President Obama has long proposed that competitive debate is not just one of the “great equalizers” for minority achievement and educational opportunity, but also a best practice to produce dynamic Americans proficient in the 4 “Cs” of 21st-century skills—critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and also a 5th, civic awareness.  Duncan claimed at a speech for the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues (2012), “To be very clear, the experience of competing on an urban debate team boosts your college readiness—and your chance to succeed in life.”
Every year, the National Speech & Debate Association selects student members to represent the prestigious USA Debate Team after completing a rigorous application process.

In addition, 15 students have been selected to the USA Debate Development Team. This group of students will train and practice with USA Debate coaches and alumni to learn more about the World Schools Debate.

Since 2013, the National Speech & Debate Association has assumed responsibility for the USA Debate Team, choosing the best debaters in the country to represent the United States in international competition. Team USA features a highly accomplished and dedicated coaching staff. These coaches have deep roots in the content and style of World Schools Debate and work with the team to acclimate the debaters to the event.

The mission of USA Debate is to join the global promotion of free and civil discourse, foster international cooperation and education, as well as demonstrate competitive excellence and national pride.

Debating on a podcast
Episode 181 dealt with the Electoral College and questioned its continuing usefulness in the future. Presented in partnership with Northwestern Pritzker School of Law as part of the ongoing Newt and Jo Minow Debate Series. With two presidents in the last 20 years assuming office while losing the popular vote, the Electoral Office has become a political inferno, igniting tempers on both ends of the political spectrum. During this episode, the debaters did something rare in our current public discourse – they presented facts, provided historical context, addressed key issues like the representation of small states and found common ground for agreement.

These debates are not dry and desiccated events but spirited and lively. While debates are not sporting events, the competitive fires burn and the debates crackle with points scored with relevant facts instead of baseball bats or soccer balls.

Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates doesn’t shy away from complex and controversial topics. Witnesses past episodes on the constitutionality of affirmative action in college admissions or a debate on replacing private health insurance with a government-run system.

The podcast even unearths debate topics that have long since slipped from popular culture’s limited attention span. For instance, episode 175 discussed the timeliness of expanding nuclear power and in a sharp right turn on topics, episode 145 debated whether dating apps have killed romance.

The virtual debates

The tendrils of the Covid-19 pandemic reach everywhere and the last few episodes have been virtual debates. Though podcast listeners do not have the vicarious thrill of debate in a central physical space, the last several episodes have still infused the podcast with razor-sharp intellects, fact-based debating points and spirited rhetorical flourishes.
Recent episodes include "Coronavirus Will Reshape the World Order in China's Favor" and "Nationalism Is a Force for Good."

Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates acts as a counter-measure to the lack of a shared reality that damages unity, collaboration and a sense of compromise. Too often, where some see a deadly pandemic that has killed nearly 135,000 Americans and hospitalized three times that number, others see a hoax perpetrated by an unholy alliance of Bill Gates, Satanists, socialists and Chinese scientists.

Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates is a podcast that doesn’t take sides in political dogfights. Instead, the podcast uses facts, logic, reason, emotional intelligence and a shared vision to urge listeners to question, validate, contemplate, reflect and even see differing points of view.

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Learning to Debate and Public Speaking reaps life long benefits.

1. Develop excellent oral and written communication skills.

2. Develop excellent critical thinking skills.

3. Develop effective tools for research, organization and presentation.

4. Develop strategies to overcome fears of public speaking.

5. Discover the confidence and desire to participate in all academic classes.

Students who participate in debate programs will discover and develop the following skills: 

• Confidence – Belief in themselves and their abilities, and the desire to participate in all classes.

• Curiosity – The passion of discovery through effective tools for research, organization and presentation.

• Critical Thinking – How to explore the world through the lens of an inquisitive mind

• Communication – Oral & written skills and strategies for lively yet respectful discussions & disagreements.

• Control – Eliminate the fears of public speaking.

• Creativity – The desire to explore, create and invent. 

• Camaraderie – Meet like-minded peers at tournaments and build healthy bonds of competition.

• Leadership – Self-motivation and the ability to delegate assignments and manage peers.

* From the the National Speech & Debate Association