ILLUSTRATIONS IN A DEBATE

WHAT IS ILLUSTRATING?

 Illustrating means providing a deep characterisation of an actor or a

situation
 Their emotions, motivation, goals etc.
 It should be like a good description of a character in a book (but, of course,
shorter, so choose only elements that are useful)
 Very useful in a debate:
1. Explaining the SQ
 For example, THW introduce 100% inheritance tax
2. When proving how great your impact is
 For example, THW allow single parents to raise their children in prison
3. When comparing what is an actor likely to do
 For example, THW torture terrorist for information
WHAT PARTS SHOULD A GOOD ILLUSTRATION HAVE?

1. Description of an actor – Who are they? What is important

for them?
2. Change – What does change when we apply the motion or a
model?
3. Reaction of the actor – How does actor perceive the change and
adjust their behavior to the change?

 For example, THW legalise death penalty

DESCRIPTION OF AN ACTOR – WHO ARE THEY? WHAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THEM?

 Motivation/Goals
 How is the actor currently acting and why?
 Is the actors motivation rational or irrational?
 How much is the actor willing to sacrifice to continue behaving in a way that they are currently behaving?

 Actor’s objective characteristics

 How much and what kind of recourses does the actor have? (money, information, political capital, networking, cognitive
capacity, time, emotional stability, experience, ability to deal with new situations)
 Actor’s subjective characteristics
 How does the actor perceive themselvesf?
 How do others perceive the actor?
  Try to illustrate why actors would act in a certain way
 Use the previously discussed structure:

1. Description of an actor – Who are they? What is important for them?

2. Change – What does change when we apply the motion or a model?
3. Reaction of the actor – How does actor perceive the change and adjust their behavior to the change?

Group A: Everybody whose first names start with letters A-K Group B: Everybody whose first names start with letters L-Z
ACTOR CHANGE/SITUATION REACTION ACTOR CHANGE/SITUATION REACTION
an influencer gets means comments online the influencer does not an influencer gets means comments online the influencer feels really
care bad about the comments
a smoker state introduces a very high the smoker stops smoking a smoker state introduces a very high tax the smoker continues to
tax on cigarettes (cigarettes on cigarettes (cigarettes smoke
become very expensive) become very expensive)

an apolitical sees violent protests
person
a company state introduces new eco-
friendly policies
a person with watches a movie that
depression describes a life of a
depressed person
the apolitical does not
support the protests
the company makes
changes to become more
eco-friendly
the person with depression
becomes less likely to seek
professional help
an apolitical sees violent protests the apolitical starts
person supporting the protests
a company state introduces new eco- the company does
friendly policies everything to escape making
changes to become eco-
friendly
a person with watches a movie that describes the person with depression
depression a life of a depressed person seeks professional help