Dalton Online English Debate

Dec 23, 2022

2 min read

As a way to promote communication between students and enrich students' remote study life, Dalton Academy organized the Dalton Online English Debate which focused on discussing “Involution” on Dec. 2nd.

Originally an anthropological term, "involution"-literally translated to an inward curling-refers to a social concept where population growth does not result in productivity or improved innovation. Now, involution, as a buzzword, represents the irrational rat race in every industry.

Xinmin House supported that the advantages of involution outweigh the disadvantages, while Zhishan House did the opposite. Debaters from Xinmin House claimed that involution creates values, promotes social development, and promotes self-achievement; while debaters from Zhishan House argued that involution is not conducive to success and seriously damages physical and mental health.

To make the online debate more interactive and interesting, inquiry and brain trust were added to the online debate. The debaters launched a battle of words in fluent English, providing eloquent, insightful and organized statements. Their clear ways of thinking, quotations of classics, and sparkling words quickly heated the atmosphere. In the free debate, the brain trust members expressed their arguments with witty repartee, pushing the tense atmosphere to a climax.

The atmosphere in the online chatting area was also filled with fierce debate. As audience members, teachers and students enthusiastically commented on the debaters' viewpoints and performance online, helping debaters broaden their minds. Upon receiving these suggestions, the debaters immediately adjusted their argumentation to more in-depth and critical thinking.

The outstanding performances seen in the debate are highly related to the training they receive in Dalton's Humanities courses, which require students to develop their own arguments in Socratic seminars, writings, and class activities. Through these practices, students are given opportunity for independent thought, critical thinking, and flexible use of English.

Although both sides fought valiantly, congratulations go to Zhishan House for being the winner of the online debate as voted for by the faculty, AND congratulations to Wang Zhongyuan from Zhishan house for being nominated as the best debater!