Debate motion Defend the indefensible
Getting lost beats using a map
With a map in every phone, getting lost has almost become a lost art. This motion asks whether wandering without directions is better than following them. The debate turns on what travel is for: getting somewhere efficiently and safely, or discovering surprises, learning a place properly, and enjoying the adventure on the way.
FOR Argue that the motion is right.
AGAINST Argue that the motion is wrong.
Arguments FOR
- Getting lost leads to discoveries a map never would, like a hidden café, a quiet street, or a view nobody else stopped to see.
- When you find your own way, you actually learn the place. People who follow arrows on a screen often cannot retrace the route without the screen.
- Being lost forces you to talk to locals, ask for help, and read signs. Those small interactions often become the best memories of a trip.
- Wandering builds confidence and problem solving. Learning that you can cope without directions is a useful life skill that maps quietly take away.
Arguments AGAINST
- Getting lost wastes time, causes stress, and can make you late for work, school, trains, and people who are waiting for you.
- In some places, being lost is genuinely unsafe, such as on mountains, in bad weather, at night, or in unfamiliar parts of a city.
- A map does not stop discovery. You can still choose to wander while knowing you can find your way back, which gives you adventure without risk.
- Getting lost is only fun for people with spare time and energy. Families with tired children or travellers with luggage do not find it charming.
Sample openers
FORA map shows you where everyone else has already been. Getting lost shows you somewhere new.
AGAINSTGetting lost is charming right up until it is dark, your phone is dead, and the last bus has gone.
How a match plays
- Two sides. One debater argues FOR the motion and the other AGAINST, taking turns at two podiums: three rounds, or five in a full match.
- Eleven AI jurors. Each cares about something different, and some start out leaning one way. They switch sides as your arguments land. Win eight of them, or the final verdict.
- Your voice. When your turn starts, argue out loud, and the jury reacts to what you actually said. No mic? Type instead.
- Vera or a friend. Vera, our AI debater, takes the other side any time. Or send a friend a private code and argue it out live.
Questions
What is the strongest rebuttal to the discovery argument?
Point out that maps and discovery are not opposites. You can wander freely and still check the map when you need to. The FOR side must explain what being truly lost adds beyond the stress and the wasted time.
How do I win the jury on this motion?
Use vivid travel stories that feel real, without claiming anything you cannot back up. FOR should make adventure sound worth it; AGAINST should stress safety and practicality without being dull. Jurors reward balance and strong rebuttals.
Who is this motion for?
It suits classes, travel lovers, and casual streams. Everyone has a story about being lost, and the debate naturally opens up questions about technology, independence, and curiosity.