Young,+Pete

I enjoy judging debates and helping young people develop their interests. I am new to national circuit debating, but I have judged local circuit Lincoln Douglas debates over the past two years. I am a professional listener and a philosopher that likes to think of himself as reasonably intelligent and possessing a good sense of humor. I can follow complex discussions, but that does not mean debaters should feel free to present their arguments at lightning speed. I believe if you wish to persuade others with your speech, in addition to crafting words carefully, it is usually a good idea for you to speak slowly enough so that a stranger kind enough to listen will likely have adequate time to reflect reasonably well upon what it is that you have said. It is also wise to keep in mind that listeners are often keeping track of two multifaceted, complex arguments. Almost without exception, both debaters present compelling arguments worthy of deep thinking. I know speakers like to present as strong an argument as possible and that in many instances that means presenting a large amount of information in a limited amount of time, but that is always a balancing act. Let there be no mistake, sometimes less is more. Many superior arguments have lost debates due to failure of debaters to understand the multiple forces that affect judges’ decision making processes. In general, I enjoy speedy talk less the earlier it is in the morning and, of course, the faster that people speak. I have been told, and I tend to agree, that the expression on most listeners’ faces can be relied upon as a gauge to help guide speakers in these matters (though this is not always reliable). I will not sit stone faced if I am having difficulty following your pace. It may also help you to know that I enjoy it when debaters exhibit enthusiasm, passion, and humor, while demonstrating good taste and respect for their opponents and others in the room. I hope this was helpful and look forward to an invigorating year of debates. Good luck to everyone. Sincerely, Dr. Peter Young