Winning a Verbal Conflict

For developed countries in the modern world, conflict is most often embodied in vibrating air particles rushing by a larynx and crashing against an eardrum.  Verbal debates take place from the familial to the international levels, and play a large role in determining our daily lives.  Understanding the influence that a debate can have lead me to practice and hone my skills through the Model UN program.

This past weekend, the Model United Nations at the University of Chicago (MUNUC) tournament proved to be extraordinarily competitive.  Representing the United Kingdom on the UN Security Council, my partner and I worked tirelessly to try to solve the issue of stability in Yemen.  The thirty-page "background guide" gives an idea of how complicated the topic is.  Between a civil war in the north, a secessionist movement in the south, and the embedded presence of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the situation seems all but impossible to solve.  However, through researching my position as a British diplomat and researching the topic itself, I discovered a variety of tools that could be used to combat instability and prepared to articulate them in debate.

The UNSC was by far the most competitive committee I have ever debated on.  The delegations from Russia, Pakistan, the USA, Portugal, China, Azerbaijan, and Germany were all very skilled orators, writers, and debaters.  From the very beginning, I employed all of the tactics I knew: shake hands and smile at the new delegates, carefully analyze how high they hold their shoulders, look for signs of complacency or cunning in their eyes, and appear calm and confident.  Listen for the well-spoken, coerce those who aren't confident, and attack the aggressive.  During the twenty hours I spent in committee last weekend, I was constantly struggling to keep my head above the surface, trying not to get drowned out in the noise and motion of the conference.  Ultimately, I was able to successfully use my tools and training to establish my own voice in committee.  While not always the most popular, having that distinct voice allowed me to communicate my ideas and be awarded third place by the judge.