Art of Debate

I like to argue. I am by no means a combative person, but I truly enjoy a vigorous debate. I like to fight the good fight and lay waste to the opinions/beliefs that happen to run in contrast to my own. I may not always come out victorious in the battle of ideas, but I like to think that something can always be learned from such an encounter (whether or not successful). Something I have come to realize is that facts don't always determine the outcome of a debate/discussion. While you may be on the "right" side of the issue, you may still get dominated by someone who holds a weaker position, but is much more skilled in the art of debate. Thus, I am taking an active effort to improve my skills. I have always enjoyed internet discussion boards, but it was only somewhat recently when I really began to hold my own in these exchanges. Initially, I let others dictate the flow of the discussion and was much more reactive than practive. However, I think being proactive in a debate/discussion is one of the keys to being successful. If you let the opponent(s) dictate the sub-topics and lines of reasoning, you will always be on your heels. For an analogy, it would be like a basketball team sending in their tallest, slowest players to defend against a team which is known for their explosive fast breaks. You would likely be too busy playing catch-up to settle into your offense. The same goes for debate. Unlike the old sports adage; "the best offense is a great defense", debate truly seems to be an instance where the exact opposite holds true; "the best offense is a great offense."

Why have I become so enamored by debate? I think it may be because debate/discussion is the key to any/every sort of progress. The civil rights movement didn't take place because a majority of whites decided it was time to started treating blacks a little more kindly. Women didn't obtain the right to vote because the alpha-males of Congress decided they were being a bit too chauvinistic for their own good. Only through intense and effective debate/discussion did society take a step in the right direction. Maybe I won't take part in a revolutionary cause (though anything is possible), but this is one skill that I would like to hone to the best of my ability.

Introduction

I have been very confused as of late. About what, you may ask? Everything. I'm a smart guy, a great student, a hard worker...who has absolutely no idea what he is going to do in less than a year when he graduates from college. Graduate school? My grades and accomplishments would surely allow me to get accepted into a respectable graduate school program, but I really don't know if it is worth the massive investment of my time, energy, sanity, and money. If I decide not to attend graduate school, I don't know what type of job I would like to have. Accounting? I'm very good at accounting and always assumed that I would enjoy a career in accounting, but my current internship has led me to second-guess that decision. Finance? As much as I once enjoyed following the financial markets and the economy, I have recently come to realize that the entire finance industry is chock-full of people who care far more about dollars and cents than human beings, family, and emotions. Besides, it seems as if the vast majority of entry-level careers in finance, and even many long-term finance careers, are essentially glorified positions in sales. I don't think I want to become a salesman. So where does that leave me; a dual accounting & finance major?

On top of that, I don't think I want to enter the rat race of American consumer culture. I used to be a card-carrying member of this not-so-elite group of money-grubbing individualists, but much of what I have read lately has encouraged me to call into question the very lifestyle that 90% of Americans pursue. Everything is about money. Forget family, friends, nature, love, philosophy, etc. Everything boils down to the bottom line; how much do you make? How big of a house can you afford? What kind of car will impress your friends, co-workers, and the opposite sex? What clothes will make the opposite sex yearn for my attention? I think one of the primary reasons for my overwhelming confusion is that I am surrounded by a society that wishes to shape me into something I don't wish to become. How do I cope with such a situation? I don't know. I just know that I want to lead a simple life, surrounded by the people that I love. I want to be productive and help others. Beyond that, I don't know. Where will I live? What will I do? How will I help? Everything is just so vague. I would love to put everything into focus, but despite constant attempts to do so, I can't seem to do it. There is a fog that seems to encompass my life. A background noise that prevents me from deep and meaningful thought. I just feel so rushed, yet bored. I have all the time in the world, but there is never any time to do anything. If there were ever a time to achieve a Zen-like moment of inner-peace and tranquility, this would be an ideal time. Buddha, Krishna, are you listening? Maybe I just need to make more of an active effort to flesh out the extremely vague ideas that constitute my conception of the future. Maybe I should limit my television & media intake, and try to leave more time to be left in my thoughts. Maybe I should limit my internet usage, because Lord knows that 75% of the time I spend online isn't very productive. I just need to think.