It's A Beautiful Day... in the Debating World

These past two weeks have definitely looked most college students in the face and dared them to test their character.  With midterms, essays, and simulations being thrown as a whirlwind, it is crucial to take cramming, caffine, and the unexpectedly warm D.C. weather as refuge.
     In my case, sometimes the brain takes a break by trying to find upbeat, if not positive, songs.  Hence, U2's signature was floating through my head during cross country practice last Tuesday, as well as when I was working on assignments various nights.
    
Yet, despite the antagonizing work, it is always ironically interesting...

In the case of our WP Simulation, I was so excited because I had never really participated in a debate/simulation before.  The 8-minute presentation period seemed intimidating at first.  Could an argument really be sustained for that long period of time?  However, as evidenced during the simulation, all groups were very creative in their arguments.  I definitely was impressed by the amount of Sierra Club's logic, rather than appealing to Mother Earth.  Although I knew in advance GM's position, it was still impressive that it favored globalizaton, despite its domestic roots.

What was most difficult about the debate was probably connecting logic.  It is one thing to give a presentation about a memorized topic that is completed within itself, but it is another when all are debating on the same topic, and their points need to be considered.  I admit that I felt a little overhelmed when I first listened to the Sierra Club/UAW proposals because they were so sound.  It was important to concentrate on the fortitude of my own group's stance.

It was a little dissappointing that Ambassador Quainton did not make a firm decision because everyone and nobody won.  Yet, I suppose that is possibly why policy seems "slow" in the real world.  Opposing views have to consider the consequences of their arguments, but the consequences are difficult to predict in our fast-paced world.  In relation, I had a Leadership Gateway Simulation the same day as the WP Simulation, except it was on an international scale.  The theme of consequence remained the same.  As a member of the BBC media group, it is difficult to make a definitive judgment about the soundness of policy when many areas affect a certain policy (i.e. WP:  auto industry, job industry, technological sector, environmentalists, etc.), and all must be considered before a final report.