Debate-Ability

As has been written elsewhere, this world lacks the ability to hash out differences in a civilized manner. Where manners and open mindedness are lacking, strife ensues. When one lacks the will and critical thinking skill to question one’s own beliefs, hatred grows.
Skills of discourse should maybe be taught before financial literacy or anything else. There are those who start a discussion on any topic and when they find the people they are discussing with have differing viewpoints are quick to throw tantrums and devolve into ad hominem name-calling, leaving the original topic far behind.
In a civilized argument, not to be confused with yelling, contradiction, and personal insults, one must stay on topic. All participants must take pains to separate the topic being discussed from personal failings or strengths. “I” should be avoided, and so should “you”. Neither should a participant take things as personal affronts by the others just because a point does happen to apply. Examples are only examples, but should also be worded in such a way as to reduce specificity to an individual.
It also shows a weakness to set up a straw man argument, one that can have only an agreeable answer to not sound evil. The most popular such bait arguments involve children and racism. Of course no sane person wants to cause suffering. Introducing such wording is a sure sign that the debater is unable to think of a cogent, calm point in support of her viewpoint.