Endless searching and continuing education are a part of any good debater’s appetite. Learning new things, for data is a really healthy mental diet to exercise. One way to do this is through podcasts. Podcasts are unique because you can Listen – and do other things! Auditory intake is a perfect way to learn while performing various other tasks.
One of my personal favorites is a podcast by a behavioral psychologist named Adam Grant. He did a particularly riveting segment on the data behind competition, and why you should be friends with your rivals. In it – he explores extremely competitive Olympic teams, college sports.
Debate is a competition, plain and simple. Over the course of a year, you may hit the same team several times. My junior year, my partner and I ended up hitting the top-ranked team in the nation 3 times. It was a rivalry I will never forget, mostly because 3 out of the 4 of us were in the top 5 speakers at Nationals. It was intense, no-holds-barred, split decision every time. And yet every time announcements came for who was going to win, we stood together, joking and betting that the other team had won.
Adam Grant, in this podcast episode, makes a clear case for why competition and friendly rivalry gives us a statistical advantage over those who DON’T make friends with their rivals. Take a listen, and enjoy! It’s a production of TED, and can be found at the link below!