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Am I really using "Cthulhu" in the title of another post?
Matt, thanks for clearing up the "2 H's in Cthulhu"
controversy, and we spell the fine city's name as "Wichita."
Questions of spelling aside, I have a few
comments/clarifications to add to the "white magic vs. China
and the great Cthulhu" controversy.
It is not my intent to argue that any argument is true or
untrue, or to tell those of you with China disads (wish ours
was worth using) that your arguments are bunk.
My initial comments were directed more toward the seemingly
negative attitude I have noticed from many members of our
community about the magic case (or for that matter the
narrative).
I fear that many of us have a tendency to immediately determine
the validity of new arguments (and argument forms) based on
some internally-held beliefs about what constitutes
"legitimate" debate.
It's nice to hear voices like those of Matt R. and Tom J. that
take a bit more balanced view. I posted on the narrative
before UMKC and made a similar observation to the one I am
about to make again.
If you feel the magic case is "wrong," put in the
thinking/library time and find ways to support your claims. If
you feel the narrative is "bad," do the same. Maybe you're
"right," maybe your "wrong." Either way the knee-jerk reaction
to things that are "new" doesn't do much to help us maximize
the opportunity debate provides.
The first team that ran a plan in 1AC was probably decried for
quite some time before people said, "good idea." I'm sure the
first team to run a nuclear war impact was shunned for awhile,
too. I'm not sure why that has to be the case. Maybe we would
all be better served if we followed the
"listen-think-research-argue" tact instead of the "that doesn't
fit with what I think debate should be" approach.
Before someone becomes unnecessarily offended, I do not direct
these comments at any specific individual. Rather, I am only
describing my assessment of an "attitude" among many that I
think I have noticed.
That's all folks
Carson B.--WSU
Archive created by Jonathan Stanton (jonathan@cs.jhu.edu)
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