There are so many things we do simply because "it's been that way for generations" but is it always the right thing to do? Is there a point where one can decide not to do it at the risk of insulting tradition? Should the father always be the one to give away the bride? In the West, it's common for men to have bachelor parties before they get married to enjoy their last night of freedom with some debauchery. Is this still a good idea? Does it depend on the man? His wife? The man's friends? The family? What about the custom of kowtowing to one's elders in China? What about circumcision in Jewish culture? The list goes on.
The truth is it's very easy to look at another culture's customs and objectively say that it doesn't make sense but when it comes to our own, our response may be different, and less objective. So in this debate, we'll talk about the customs of different groups of people.
As always, there's no judgment, only an honest effort to speak clearly and listen attentively. It's not about winning or losing, in fact, we never declare a winner. It's about stating a point of view logically and listening to others with openness. Let's debate!
Come explore explosive topics like these, and see where the argument takes us! Controlled arguments help build skills like expressing yourself clearly, listening deeply, and disagreeing respectfully, all while letting you learn more about others and yourself!
As we talk, we will analyze some of the best (and worst!) ways to discuss and debate in English.
我们做很多事情只是因为“自古以来就是如此”，但这总是正确的吗？是否存在这样一个临界点，即人们可以冒着侮辱传统的风险决定不这么做？婚礼上，应该总是由父亲把新娘交给新郎吗？在西方，男人通常在结婚前举行单身派对，以放荡的方式享受最后一晚的自由。这在当今仍然是个好主意吗？这取决于男人吗？还是他的妻子？亦或是男人的朋友？还是家人？我们如何看待中国人给长辈磕头的习俗？犹太文化中的割礼呢？这样的例子不胜枚举。
事实是，我们很容易用客观的视角看待其他文化的习俗，说它没有意义，但当涉及到我们自己的文化时，我们的反应可能是不同的，我们不再那么客观。在这场辩论中，我们将讨论不同文化中的习俗。
和往常一样，没有评判，只有诚实地努力清晰地说话和认真地倾听。这不是输赢的问题，事实上，我们从不宣布谁是赢家。它是关于逻辑地陈述一个观点，并以开放的心态倾听他人。让我们一起辩论！
一起来聊聊最有争议性的话题，看看你有多能侃！理性的讨论可以帮助每个人自我提升，比如更精准的表达，更有效的倾听，尊重不同的观点。与此同时，也可以从别人身上学到不一样的东西，了解一个全新的自己。
这期club我们就来讨论这个话题，并分享一些超棒（和超烂）的英语辩论技巧！
