As i see it, having a job, being owned by your wife and living a rudimentary life leads to a greater imagination, it is the form of your brain that is used least in the day so it lets you become more and more expressive, but in your own ways.Originally posted by HighLordDave
Actually, I'm a mindless drone who works in a cubicle. They let me out of the office a couple of times per day to use the restroom and snack. After I leave work, I go home to slave around my house for my wife (and not in the good way). So as you can see, I am at a tremendous competitive disadvantage if I am matched against Tom, which is why he should be prohibited from using any forms of "to be".
If you were to channel that creative energy into your debates you would have no problem defeating anyone in a debate. Mundanity can have many beneficial properties, it allows one to break on through and produce some expressive art.
Debates are not just about winning and losing, they are as much about taking part, you have to show your skills with creative writing and creative thought, be expressive, use big words, hell even complete sentences if you feel the urge.
So while Tom may have the better grounding in debates you have the creative and artistic ability to succeed where his arguments will appear stale.