Utopic Debates

Posted byNeil ThanedarPosted inIdeasTags:, , , ,

Idea: Bring back Lincoln—Douglas debates.

  • Rules: One hour per debate on a single topic. One on One.
    • Example: Elon Musk vs. Elizabeth Warren on the Value of Regulations.
  • Make these the main event(s) at Utopic Live.

Problem: Modern debates (especially US Presidential debates) are horrible.

  • Too many people on stage.
  • Too little time per topic.
  • Weak, haphazard mediation.

Solution: Competitive 1:1 debates. One hour. One topic.

  • Debaters know the topics and choose their side ahead of time.
  • Presidential debates should use this format and do a series of 10+ debates on 10+ different topics.

Who: Not just for politicians.

How: Let’s debate ideas, not people.

  • Strongly attacking someone’s ideas is fair play, but criticizing people is off limits.
It’s time to bring some idealism and civility back to our debating.

This idea is a work-in-progress. If you’d like to help plan a debate, DM me @neilthanedar on Twitter!

Published by Neil Thanedar

Neil Thanedar is an entrepreneur, investor, scientist, altruist, and author. He is the founder & GP of Utopic, a pre-seed biotech VC fund investing in the future of science. He is also the founder & chairman of Air to All, a 501(c)3 nonprofit medical device startup, and Labdoor, a consumer watchdog with $7M+ in funding and 20M+ users. He previously co-founded Avomeen Analytical Services, a product development and testing lab acquired for $30M+ in 2016. He has also served as Executive Director of The Detroit Partnership and Senior Advisor to his father Shri Thanedar in his campaigns for Governor, State Representative, and US Congress in Michigan.