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Debate & Persuasion
🦆 Defend the Ridiculous
Build a serious argument for a completely silly proposal.
What you need
Ridiculous motions: ducks should run airports; Tuesdays should be optional; everyone needs a cape.
How to play
- Choose one ridiculous motion.
- Give three serious-sounding reasons.
- Add one example.
- Answer one obvious objection.
See one in action
Motion: “Everyone should wear a cape on Fridays.”
Reason 1: it creates a shared weekly tradition.
Reason 2: people can personalize capes, making them easy conversation starters.
Objection: “Capes are inconvenient.”
Response: “Friday capes could be short, lightweight, and office-safe.”
The topic is silly, but the argument structure should be real.
Reason 1: it creates a shared weekly tradition.
Reason 2: people can personalize capes, making them easy conversation starters.
Objection: “Capes are inconvenient.”
Response: “Friday capes could be short, lightweight, and office-safe.”
The topic is silly, but the argument structure should be real.
10 ideas to try
Choose any one of these prompts and use the activity steps above:
- Everyone should wear a cape on Fridays.
- Mondays should be removed from the calendar.
- Ducks should be allowed to vote in local elections.
- Every home should have a slide instead of stairs.
- Schools should replace bells with dramatic movie music.
- Every office should employ one professional nap consultant.
- People should receive loyalty points for taking the stairs.
- Cities should install public hammocks on every block.
- Breakfast should legally be available 24 hours a day.
- All formal meetings should begin with a two-minute dance break.
Make it harder / funnier
Someone may challenge your weakest reason and you must defend it without changing the motion.
Why it helps
Practices argument structure without the pressure of a serious topic.
Ready to use this skill?
Try it in Debate Practice →Take the activity into a full SpeakCoachLab practice session.