Today, while at a big speech and debate tournament, I corrected the judge's use of the word "podium" instead of lectern, because that's what my debate coach had told me was the correct usage. Well, she didn't take it too well and neither did my partner. Or my debate coach. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, my debate partner repeatedly said "You mad, bro?" to the opposing team in our college debate class. That debate was worth a considerable portion of our grade. FML
Today, and for the past week, I practiced my speech for the school debate team. Right as I started, my 14 year-old voice cracked so hard that the first sentence came out sounding like a startled goat. The judge tried not to laugh, but I spent the rest of the round fighting octave changes in my voice. FML
Today, my teacher assigned us teams in a class debate. I landed on the team that had to argue the obviously wrong point of view. When I finished, my teacher told me and the entire class how much I disturbed her, and how I reminded her of Hitler and Napoleon. FML
Today, I was teaching a class when a student pointed out that I'd used the wrong "your/you're" while writing on the board. FML
Today, one of my debate opponents used the "Bill O'Reilly defense" against my arguments. This involved saying "You can't explain that" about easily explainable stuff, and speaking louder and louder to drown out my voice. He ended up getting a better grade than mine. FML
Today, I gave a presentation. My teacher deducted points because I "need to learn how to speak more confidently, because you often stumble over your words." I have a stutter. FML
Today, I confidently corrected someone in a group conversation. I was wrong. Very wrong. Everyone stared while Google proved me incorrect in seconds. I nodded and pretended I meant something else. FML
Today, I had to give a speech as part of my campaign for school captain. I was rather happy with it and so I told another candidate my speech. Apparently it was a good idea as minutes later that same candidate stole my entire speech, leaving me looking like a complete idiot. FML
Today, I learned that I may have caused a public speaker and author to be fired, because my response to his "open chat" question flustered him, causing him to lose his cool and snap at me. FML
Today, I gave a presentation in class. I felt pretty good about it, until afterwards when I was told I lost points for communication because I'd been chewing gum. I wasn't, I just have a speech impediment. FML
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Top comments
fakedsincerity 32
Correcting the judge in front of everyone is kind of a dick move. A judge is there as some sort of expert and authority figure and to undermine them doesn't look good for your score.
DownFaLL57 23
That is how you lose the debate.
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Comments (75)
DownFaLL57 23
That is how you lose the debate.
Dale_shackleford 13
I'm a debater. The first thing a good coach will teach you is to never risk offending a judge. Don't do anything they might not like because they are the sole decider in your round performance. If you piss a judge off, there is nothing at all stopping them from making you lose out of spite. No accountability, no complaints, nothing. OP is either very new or a terrible debater if they don't know that.
Ms_ValS 27
I read this weeks back. It finally got approved I think. Or someone copied it.
dcam13 19
don't correct the people above you, plane and simple. lol I'm assuming your one of those people that hangs around comment sections and corrects people on they're use of words, like your/you're. bare in mind, nobody likes being corrected, especially when their you're superior to. (bahahah I am cringing so hard while writing this. sorry grammar nazi's, it was hard for me too.)
fakedsincerity 32
Correcting the judge in front of everyone is kind of a dick move. A judge is there as some sort of expert and authority figure and to undermine them doesn't look good for your score.
Julian_s1234 11
Not all judges know anything about the debate topic i know someone who won because "he looked better than the other people"
fakedsincerity 32
that's why i said "some sort of expert" not "expert on the topic". Regardless they are the authority of the event and that should be respected.
Dale_shackleford 13
Judges are often idiots that know nothing. That doesn't change the fact that they decide if you win or not and the fact that there is nothing you can do unless it is a very, very, very serious tournament. YDI for not knowing that the judge is king or queen. Nothing about respect, just the fact that they are the sole decider of your round results.
finalyearsofhate 22
You completely deserve it. You don't correct someone judging you.
Chikiriwak 17
That's why you let the big man be. Even if you are right there is no point on correcting those who are proffesional in their minds.
Chikiriwak 17
Sorry Big Woman*
Chibi_Hiroko 18
GIANT WOMAN
lolhailsatan 23
Yeah if someone is judging you and scoring your ability to do something, it's obvious that it's probably not best to correct them in front of everyone else... not like their incorrect use of the word would affect how well you can debate. Especially because the two words are so close in meaning, not like anyone could get confused because of a simple word mix-up.
BlackHawkSavior 28
Don't correct the judge. Problem solved.
itsme82 18
To be honest.. I'm not impressed either. You can't correct some people in life. As much as it sucks, sometimes we have to let people be ignorant in their own stupidity. Don't beat yourself up tho op. Consider it a life lesson.
youdontsay123456 21
There is no judge. The judge is God
youdontsay123456 21
Really no one got that reference??
Adeptus_Astartes 22
Your reference was completely irrelevant.
whassallt26 13
Depends how you said it, you're not going to convince a judge by being condescending towards them
TheMathMajor 26
I think it would come off as super arrogant no matter how he said it, just because it's such a pedantic correction and to someone who is judging them at a competition. Not a smart move at all.
elcee1987 18
That's not even an important correction to make. If the judge had given the wrong rule or incorrect time or something, sure, speak up. But podium vs lectern? YDI dude