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Debates

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Allow it, AI is just a new creative tool
0 waiting on Side 2 — Ban it, it devalues human creativity and labor

Should AI-generated work compete with human work?

Art contests, journalism, music charts, and writing awards are all being flooded with AI submissions. Is this progress or theft?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — UBI is essential for the AI era
0 waiting on Side 2 — UBI destroys work incentive and the economy

UBI for everyone?

As automation replaces jobs, some countries are piloting a guaranteed monthly payment for every adult, no strings attached. Lifeline or disaster?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Ban it, protect kids from harm
0 waiting on Side 2 — Parents decide, not the government

Ban social media for under-16s?

Australia already did it. Studies link teen social media use to anxiety and depression, but kids say it's their lifeline. Who decides?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Office is better for culture, mentorship, and output
0 waiting on Side 2 — Remote work is more productive and more humane

Should companies force employees back to the office?

Five years after COVID, CEOs want everyone back at their desks. Workers are quitting over it. Who is right?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Scale nuclear aggressively, it's the only realistic clean baseload
0 waiting on Side 2 — Too risky, too expensive, invest in renewables instead

Is nuclear the answer to climate change?

Zero carbon, massive output, but also Chernobyl and Fukushima in public memory. Should we build more reactors or shut them down?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Ban them, they are a public hazard
0 waiting on Side 2 — Keep them, they solve real mobility problems

Ban shared e-scooters from city streets?

Great for the last kilometre, terrible for pedestrians getting hit on sidewalks. Paris banned them. Tel Aviv is considering it.

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Crypto is the future of money
0 waiting on Side 2 — Crypto is a speculative bubble that will crash

Future of money or biggest bubble in history?

Bitcoin keeps hitting new highs, governments keep cracking down, and retail investors keep getting wrecked. Which side of history are we on?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Keep it mandatory, security and social cohesion depend on it
0 waiting on Side 2 — Move to a professional volunteer army, like the US and UK

Should Israel move to a voluntary military?

Most Western democracies dropped conscription decades ago. Israel's security situation is unique, but is 3 years of forced service still the right model?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Tax it, the climate cost is real and urgent
0 waiting on Side 2 — Hands off my plate, this is personal choice

Should governments tax meat to cut consumption?

Cattle produce 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions. Some economists want a "sin tax" on meat like we have on cigarettes. Climate necessity or nanny state?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Yes, productivity and wellbeing both improve
0 waiting on Side 2 — No, global competitiveness will collapse

Should the standard workweek drop to 4 days?

Iceland, UK, and Belgium have run large trials. Workers loved it, productivity mostly held up. So why isn't everyone doing it?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Yes, voting is a civic duty and should be required
0 waiting on Side 2 — No, voting should remain a free and personal choice

Should voting be mandatory for all citizens?

Australia has compulsory voting with fines for non-voters. Turnout hits 90%+. Should democracies worldwide make voting a legal obligation, or does freedom include the right to stay home?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Legalise it — regulate, tax, and reduce harm
0 waiting on Side 2 — Keep them illegal — legalisation increases addiction and social harm

Should recreational drugs be fully legalised?

Portugal decriminalised all drugs in 2001 and saw overdose deaths plummet. Canada and several US states legalised cannabis. Should governments take the next step and fully legalise recreational drugs?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Private companies drive innovation faster and cheaper
0 waiting on Side 2 — Space is too important to be left to profit-driven corporations

Should space exploration be privately funded?

SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic are racing to Mars and beyond. Should humanity's biggest frontier be led by billionaires with profit motives, or should governments keep control of space?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Yes — uniforms promote equality and reduce distractions
0 waiting on Side 2 — No — let kids express themselves freely

Should school uniforms be mandatory?

Proponents say uniforms reduce bullying, cut costs, and improve focus. Critics argue they suppress individuality and self-expression. The debate rages in schools from the UK to the US to Japan.

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Ban them — phones wreck concentration and mental health
0 waiting on Side 2 — Keep them — phones are tools for safety and modern learning

Should smartphones be banned in schools?

France banned phones in schools in 2018. The UK and many US states are following. Research shows phones hurt focus and fuel anxiety. But are they also vital safety tools and learning resources?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Allow it — eradicating disease is a moral imperative
0 waiting on Side 2 — Ban it — playing with human genetics is too dangerous

Should gene editing in humans be allowed?

CRISPR technology can eliminate hereditary diseases — but also engineer designer babies. A Chinese scientist already created gene-edited human embryos. Should we embrace or ban human germline editing?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Abolish it — the state should never take a life
0 waiting on Side 2 — Keep it — some crimes deserve the ultimate punishment

Should the death penalty be abolished worldwide?

Over 55 countries still execute criminals. Amnesty International calls it a violation of human rights. Supporters say it delivers justice for the worst crimes. Is the death penalty ever justified?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Free for all — education is a right, not a privilege
0 waiting on Side 2 — Graduates should pay — taxpayers shouldn't fund others' careers

Should higher education be free for everyone?

Germany, Norway, and Finland offer free university. The US and UK saddle students with decades of debt. Is a university degree a public good that society should fund, or a personal investment?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Yes — platforms profit from harm and must be accountable
0 waiting on Side 2 — No — liability would kill free speech and open platforms

Should social media companies be held liable for harmful content?

Misinformation, hate speech, and self-harm content flood platforms daily. Section 230 protects US tech giants from lawsuits. Should platforms face legal consequences for what their algorithms amplify?

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On stage
0 waiting on Side 1 — Cap it — extreme wealth is a societal failure, not a success
0 waiting on Side 2 — No cap — wealth limits punish success and stifle ambition

Should there be a global cap on personal wealth?

The world's 10 richest men own more than the bottom 3.1 billion people combined. Some economists propose a billionaire cap or 100% tax above a threshold. Would it fix inequality or crush innovation?

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