How to play?:
The main aim of the game is to break down social constructed taboos through debating, and to sensitise players with different perspectives to discuss their opinions. The game itself is similar to a debate night, but the rapid debate twists the situation by giving players a position they have to represent. Players sit opposite each other, having to argue for the yes position on one side and the no position on the other. This is interesting because it shows that what matters in a debate is not necessarily what your players agrees with and how much they feel comfortable with it, but for example how much it matters what tools and rhetorical skills they have to convince the other side, even if they disagree with it.
Skills improved
Convergence of different perspectives, debate culture, stress management, empathy and tolerance, attention to details, verbal expression, quick thinking.
Background
The game is a follow-up to the CASSI debate nights, which were organised and moderated by Gábor Koszorús. These classic debates nights start with the introduction of a key issue of a social problem, from which a semiguided debate unfolds around a provocative question to be decided. The success of these debate nights motivated Gábor to develop a debate game to fit the framework of the Let’s Play Serious Games! Workshop. So far, eight groups have tried it in two CASSI events.
The creators
Gábor Koszorús is a graduate student in community coordination, mainly working in event management. He is the main organizer of the Ésatöbbi Szabadszínpadok and a volunteer of the Pécs Bike Maffia (NGO). As a community coordinator student, his mission is to bring together young intellectuals from Pécs with the civil communities of the town.
