These Kids Refuse To Be Silenced: The Death of Debate - Pt 6

Hey there friends!

The final episode of The Death of Debate has arrived, and it’s a little different than the first five episodes. Rather than going through the history of debate or criticizing modern academic and political trends, this episode is more of a celebration of a group of students who, in a crazy world, are bringing back a bit of sanity.

I’m taking you inside the 2024 Incubate Debate National Championship, where the top 90 debaters from a 5,000-student league took on some of the most hot-button issues of our time—climate change, DEI, the January 6 Capitol riot, and more. To get an inside look at what James Fishback has built to rival the NSDA, I participated as a judge alongside Bill de Blasio, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Peter Boghossian.

I also had the opportunity to interview many students individually and meet with their families, and what I learned gave me hope for the next generation. The spark of American debate has not yet been extinguished.

Thank you for following along with this series. It’s been over two years in the making, and I’m excited now to have all six episodes out in the world!