The Contrarian Debate Club and Basecamp present the first Open Floor Debate.

Topics are announced on the day. Nobody sees them in advance, so nobody arrives with a script, and a first-timer is on the same footing as a regular. This edition leans toward AI and technology, relationships, and a few we are keeping to ourselves until you're in the room.

Once a topic is announced, anyone who wants to argue it puts their name in. Speakers are drawn at random, and teams are formed on the spot. You get ten to fifteen minutes to work out your line. Then it is opening statements—one from every speaker—followed by a round of rebuttals.

You do not have to speak. Nobody is called on, plenty of the room only ever listens, and you can decide once you're there. Coming to watch is a full afternoon.

Motions we have run before:

* Casual misandry among liberals slows down the feminist movement by alienating boys and young men

* National pride is a barrier to progress because it discourages international comparison

* Integration of AI in schools is a net harm to children