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About ArmaVirumque ( AHR-mah wih-ROOM-kweh) In the Aeneid, the Roman poet Virgil sang of "arms and a man" (Arma virumque cano). Month in and month out, The New Criterion expounds with great clarity and wit on the art, culture, and political controversies of our times. With postings of reviews, essays, links, recs, and news, Armavirumque seeks to continue this mission in accordance with the timetable of the digital age. Recent posts
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Dec 14, 2006 09:01 AM
Well, we lost. The debate at IQ2, I mean. It is true that I did not go into the evening with high hopes: I expected that a New York audience would not be primed to agree with the resolution that "Hollywood has fueled anti-Americanism Abroad." But my spirits rose as the evening proceeded. It seemed to me that my side, which included Joshua Muravchik and James Hirsen, made a sterling case for the resolution while the other side (speaking for which were Robin Bronk, Robert Greenwald, and Richard Walter) consistently endeavored to do precisely what I cautioned against doing: turning the debate into a referendum on the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq. Well, Aristotle long ago observed that rhetoric is the art of persuasion. Often, in order to win an argument, you must appeal to the audience’s emotions as well as their reason. What people yearn for, what they fear, is often more important than what they think in determining how they vote. The other side apparently followed Aristotle more effectively than we did, by a factor (as I recall) 36 to 59. The debate will be broadcast by WNYC Friday December 22, at 2:00pm. Shall we have a recount? Notwithstanding our loss last night, I cannot commend the IQ2 debates too highly. As Robert Rosenkranz--the genius loci of the series--noted, all too often today people speak only to their own "tribe." Real intellectual debate, the give and take among people of good will who happen to disagree about a particular issue, is rare. The IQ2 debates are a vigorous attempt to change that and resuscitate the tradition of lively civil debate. Long may they thrive.
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