Has anyone been on a debate team (any type) or speech, etc?

Post Reply New Topic

I'm wondering. People say that many people with Asperger's have problem with public speaking. MANY people have problems with public speaking and all that, but I wonder how many people actually have gone and participated in debate teams, or speech teams or whatnot?

I did Cross-Ex in the Chicago Urban Debate League AA League for 3 years in HS, and now I'm going to help my team (or at least say 'hi' to them this weekend and stay BOTH DAYS during the Mid-Season Tournament in Depaul). They'll need it, all the old school debaters (me included, I was one of the original people to start the team ) and whatnot are gone. I wonder who the new people who joined the league this year will be? There is one team that is good, but my main partner from last year tended to be lazy and not make new cases, and bitched at my evidence due to being 'extreme' (I basically trolled them the last year of debate with racist and misantrophic arguments, which wasn't trolling as it's allowed in debate rules, it's fun as often they use horrible and illogical arguments due to being caught flat-footed and being emotional and all )

so! Any masterdebaters on wrongplanet

No I have not.

However, if someone came after my beliefs, I would debate him, unless he is a complete idiot.

I haven't participated in them recreationally but I have participated in debates in class and was required to take public speaking classes for my major.

I tried doing Forensics one year in high school (my event was the one where you do a prepared reading of a prose passage), but I was really bad at it, and I think I only went to one competition.

I have had some training in presentation skills, but haven't done any public speaking like that in a very, very long time.

I have had some voice coaching and training in broadcasting skills, and am okay with reading radio and television scripts. Haven't done much live radio though, and am a bit nervous about that. Haven't done any live television at all.

As for the debating skills side of things. Well, I have a legal background. In order to come up with a legal argument, you have to be able to see the problem from the other person's side and anticipate their arguments in order to pre-empt their arguments and subsequently to come up with counter arguments. It's quite a good skill to have. And I think being Aspie is beneficial, because the way I think is to join the dots, make the connections, see similarities with other situations and cases (English law is case law based, so you have to not only consider the law but compare with other cases and see differences and similarities).

I took public speaking in university, as it was part of the core curriculum. I made a A- in the class. I'm pretty good at public speaking actually, although I got regualrly crticized in that class for being too "verbose."

lol. With public speaking you have to speak 'plain' or whatnot. Politicans can't appear to be elitist...I'm not sure how speaking that way can be intrepreted as that, well arguably it can as it can make 'impressions' or whatnot I guess. As long as they do not ACT that way, I think that's the main point...

changing pitch, tone, etc....

I have a small measure of verbosity to say the least! i am aware of this and thqt is me.
i do a lot of public speakin gin my special interest(s) and find it easier than social talk. I could rabbit on for hours about my special interest alone or in front of a huge crowd. makes no dif to me. in fact, public speaking gives me a sense of connection to people i cannot otherwise get unless one on one.

but the crowd is an object - a thing- more than a group of individuals. weird but true. i do not see the crowd as people in the ordinary sense of the word.

but a crowd at a party where i mingle? a nightmare of insurmountable proportions.

not really, people in groups tend to act VERY predictably..

bump please.

returned from the tournament...lol my former team partner who is now the most senior debater still is a lazy bum who won't make new evidence/cards. the other team from last year is doing cool though. apparently there's 2 new teams recruited, which is good.

I argued in a court of law once or twice and wrote some memorandum briefs. It wasn't fun!

I am listening to a webcast Rhetoric class right now. It is really good!

I am positively the absolute worse debater in the world... I couldn't act my way out of a traffic ticket, or save my life if that were the stakes...

Believe it or not, I am on my way to being a professional speaker. I have to speak at at least 2 autism conferences next year, a parent's meeting, and a slight possibility of speaking at the UN. I am part of Toastmasters which is teaching me how to speak better in front of people and not get so nervous. They tell me that I have a lot of potential. I already spoke in front of 136 people and did it perfectly. It was my business showcase and that took place a few weeks ago on December 4th. I blew people away and was interrupted by applause twice in such a short speech. One of the autism conferences next year I have to speak for 20 minutes in front of 500 people. Before a few months ago, I was terrified of public speaking and had no clue that I have a talent in that. I also want to speak at NAMI which is for mental disorders. My goal is to inspire hope into those with disabilities. Saying that miracles are possible. It happened to me, so it can happen to you, too. Everyone has a talent that can be put to use or an obsession that can turn into a productive job. I want to give parents the message to never give up on their kids, and to believe in them. Without that I would be dead. My parents always believed in me and didn't listen to those nasty doctors who said that I should be put away when I became an adult. That would be now. I would be locked away somewhere if my parents listened. Thank God they believed in me!

HI warsie - i didn't phrase that very well. What i was trying to express was that for me, when i public speak - the crowd/group of individuals - becomes like an object and so i do not personally perceive them as people, but a kind of blob.

good luck and have a nice day. i like your avatar. it often makes me feel happy.

I have always been told I should be a lawer because of my agruing ability. As my dad says, I would argue with a dead man. If I was in debate club and my opionate would not agree with me, it would end in a fist fight.

lol. Especially given people have stabbed each other and all that in the Regionals and Nationals



right. and thx for liking my avatar