The Sylvans regularly incorporate impromptu debate into our rapid debate meetings. Impromptu represents one of the most challenging forms of public speaking, with zero preparation possible beforehand! As a result, we aim to have relatively lighthearted and even silly topics to make this more fun and accessible.
Impromptu debate format
After collecting suggested topics from the audience and chair, volunteers come up to the front for a period of one minute. The chair offers them two potential topics to choose from, and the speaker is expected to start talking immediately. Please note, the speaker can take either side on any topic – they do not have to speak in favour of the way the impromptu debate topic is worded!
Recent contributions from Sylvans and guests
Impromptu topic options:
Every human is selfish.
Cats secretly rule the world.
Speaker:
I’ll argue against the motion. Yes, we tend to think about our own needs like food and safety first. But once those are met, I believe humans have an innate caring nature. We care for family, friends, kids, pets, and even global issues like world peace. Sure, some people act selfishly when they can’t meet basic needs, but overall, humans aren’t innately selfish. We have much more to offer.
Impromptu topic options:
Green is better than orange.
Snooze button: Man’s greatest invention.
Speaker:
The snooze button is a lifesaver. It’s so hard to get up in the morning, especially when it’s dark and gloomy. You set your alarm for 7, but the sun doesn’t come up until 9—or not at all. The snooze button gives you a few extra minutes of sleep and maybe another sweet dream. What’s more important than that? It’s a small invention that makes a big difference.
Impromptu topic options:
Adults should also have a summer break.
Rules are meant to be broken.
Speaker:
Rules are definitely meant to be broken. They restrict freedom and creativity. In school, I broke rules and was beaten for it. The teacher said, ‘I’m going to beat you,’ and after that, I despised him. I thought, ‘You’re weak for needing to beat a boy to assert authority.’ Breaking rules made me more careful, but I never respected him. Rules are there to be broken—just don’t get caught.
Impromptu topic options:
Dry January: Too dry for me.
Leather fabric or leatherette.
Speaker:
Dry January is too dry for me. I’m doing a semi-dry January because I need my kidneys. It’s impromptu, so no prep possible. Elaine, yes, I’m having a semi-dry January. No, I need my kidneys. It’s a challenge, but I’m not giving up alcohol completely.
Impromptu topic options:
We should allow smoking inside public spaces.
Ignorance is bliss.
Speaker:
Ignorance is bliss. If we didn’t know smoking was bad, it wouldn’t matter to smoke inside. I’ve had to go outside to smoke and got more COVID because of it. If you don’t know the nuances of the world, you can be happy. But once you understand, it can stress you out. I fast-forward scary parts of movies because ignorance is bliss for me. Sometimes, not knowing is better.
Impromptu topic options:
Putting tomatoes in the fridge is barbaric.
We need to find Planet B.
Speaker:
We need to find Planet B because things aren’t working well here. There’s war, economic problems, and corruption. I don’t know if Planet B will be in our solar system or somewhere undiscovered. We need a planet that’s more relaxed, without conflicts or corruption. Mars might not be habitable, so we need to find this new planet and start moving people there. It’s a fresh start for humanity.
Impromptu topic options:
Squirrels: Rats with bushy tails.
Water has a flavour called disappointment.
Speaker:
Water tastes of nothing—it’s disappointing. I prefer sparkling water because flavoured water with artificial lemon or orange tastes bad. Water is like life: it can taste of nothing or be calm and promising. Don’t drink tap water—it’s the worst. Don’t buy flavoured water. Go carbonated. It’s the best way to make water enjoyable.
Impromptu topic options:
Umbrellas: Handheld shelters for optimists.
Football should be banished to Mars.
Speaker:
Footballers look like spacemen, so they should go to Mars. Female footballers could go to Venus. There’s too much antagonism in football about who gets priority on TV. I’ve never been so bored as when I had to kick a ball around at school. I wish I was on another planet—maybe Pluto. Football just isn’t for me.
Impromptu topic options:
Who would win a karaoke competition: Theresa May or Gordon Brown?
Wearing socks to bed should be illegal.
Speaker:
Wearing socks to bed is essential. How else do you keep your feet warm? I wear socks to bed because my feet get cold. It’s not about fear—it’s about comfort. Bacteria? You can wash socks and feet. Socks are necessary for warmth. I don’t care if people think it’s wrong—socks are a must for me.
Impromptu topic options:
Jaffa Cakes are biscuits, not cakes.
The colour orange was named after the fruit, not vice versa.
Speaker:
Jaffa Cakes are biscuits, not cakes. It’s one of life’s lessons, like never eating a burrito before getting friendly with your significant other. We’re too easily outraged these days. I learned that traffic cakes are biscuits, not COVID. Recovering from Christmas and New Year, I’m not doing a dry January. Jaffa Cakes are definitely biscuits—end of story.
Impromptu topic options:
All art is quite useless.
Everything in moderation, including moderation.
Speaker:
Art is useless. I can’t tell a Renoir from a Van Gogh. If you criticise an artist’s work, they go crazy. Art is subjective—some see a Renoir, others see Turner. It’s just a way for artists to boost their egos. There’s enough ego in the world already. Art for art’s sake doesn’t make sense to me.
Impromptu topic options:
It’s all a conspiracy.
Alcohol is the oil of oratory.
Speaker:
Alcohol makes me talk nonsense, but it also brings warmth and honesty. I’ve cut back because of kidney problems, but I’ve said more nonsense when drinking or smoking. Alcohol can bring people together, but it can also tear them apart. I saw two fights on New Year’s Eve because of alcohol. It’s a double-edged sword—it loosens tongues but can cause chaos.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: Burn books—we have Kindle.
Option 2: Halloween is too sweet for me.
Speaker: Halloween is too sweet for me. I actually have an interesting story. Halloween is growing in popularity here in the UK, and I had hoped to escape it by moving here. One year, I travelled during Halloween and locked up the house but didn’t leave a basket of candy. When I returned, I found a dried egg yolk on my door! It was impossible to remove after days of sitting there. I ended up selling the house, but Halloween left a sour memory for me.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: The only use for TikTok is to identify who is expendable.
Option 2: God exists but does not care.
Speaker: God exists—he’s omnipotent, omnipresent, everywhere. But because he’s so vast, he doesn’t care about our problems. He doesn’t listen to prayers. He’s everywhere but deaf, too big to have any sense of humanity. So, while God exists, he simply doesn’t care.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: Tradition is simply peer pressure from dead people.
Option 2: Putting tomatoes in the fridge is barbaric.
Speaker: Tradition is simply peer pressure from dead people. I consider myself an expert on this; I visit the House of Lords regularly, where some traditions feel like they’re from beyond the grave! Tradition is just doing what our ancestors did, even if it doesn’t make sense. Why not create our own traditions instead of feeling bound by the past? I want to live fully and break free from these outdated habits.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: Italians should eat pineapple on pizza.
Option 2: As within, so without.
Speaker: Italians should eat pineapple on pizza. As a proud Italian, I’ll admit—pineapple on pizza isn’t awful. But the suggestion goes against our cultural pride. Italians deeply value traditions, even when they don’t make sense to others. And if defending our traditional pizza recipe helps preserve our way of life, then I’ll say no to pineapple. But okay, I’ll admit: it does taste good!
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: More tails should wag more dogs.
Option 2: We need to find planet B.
Speaker: More tails should wag more dogs. In the movie Wag the Dog, we see how information is manipulated to direct public opinion. The film shows that managing information is a powerful way to control narratives. It’s a lesson in persuasion—and in what can happen when things get out of hand.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: Women belong in the kitchen, but only on a Tuesday to plot a communist revolution.
Option 2: Mince pies should only be eaten in December.
Speaker: Mince pies should only be eaten in December. Personally, I’d eat them all year if they were available. January’s great because they’re cheaper! I’ll even make mince pie smoothies with milk and peanut butter in the NutriBullet. But there’s something special about warming up a mince pie in December and adding ice cream—it’s the perfect winter treat.
Impromptu debate topic:
Option 1: Words can be a window or a wall.
Option 2: Life is just a box of chocolates.
Speaker: Life is just a box of chocolates. Sometimes you get the sweet truffles, which are delightful and unique. Other times, it’s a bitter or unexpected flavour, but that variety makes the sweet moments even sweeter. Life throws different flavours our way, and we have to appreciate each one—even the ones we don’t like!
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: Procrastination is an underrated life skill.
Option 2: Humanity isn’t interesting enough for the aliens.
Speaker: Procrastination is an underrated life skill. Who wants to be active all the time? Sitting on the sofa, doing nothing but watching TV, is a perfectly good way to spend life. Why bother achieving anything or leaving a legacy when you can while away your time in peaceful inactivity? That’s the joy of procrastination: it ensures you leave no trace behind, and isn’t that wonderful?
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: The only use for TikTok is to identify who is expendable.
Option 2: Mince pies should only be eaten in December.
Speaker: Mince pies should only be eaten in December. They’re inherently confusing—who hears ‘mince’ and thinks of sweet spices and orange zest instead of meat? Imagine the horror of someone biting into one, expecting a savoury pork pie, only to find a sugary filling! Limiting this misleading dish to one month a year spares us from such confusion year-round.
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: Fat doesn’t make you fat.
Option 2: An eye for an eye.
Speaker: Fat doesn’t make you fat. It’s sugars and other processed carbs that are stored as fat in your body. Eating fat, like olive oil, won’t make you gain weight—it’s the energy imbalance from other sources. Admittedly, I’m not a doctor, but fats eaten directly are metabolised differently than, say, a sugary dessert.
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: Free will does not exist.
Option 2: All art is quite useless.
Speaker: Free will doesn’t exist. I was happily sitting in the corner when, without my consent, something compelled me to raise my hand and come up here. It’s as if our decisions aren’t truly ours but dictated by forces beyond our control. My being here is proof enough of that!
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: Winter is better than summer.
Option 2: Alcohol should be banned, including in the House of Commons.
Speaker: Winter is not better than summer. As a summer baby, I don’t need layers like a puffer coat or tights. Summer brings freedom—longer days, safer evenings, and fun at South Bank. Winter, with its cold and darkness, is just a hassle. Give me summer’s warmth and joy any day.
Impromptu Debate Topic:
Option 1: Farting in public is no worse than smoking in public.
Option 2: Debating is a waste of time.
Speaker: Farting in public is no worse than smoking. In fact, it’s healthier! Breathing in bacteria and natural smells builds your immune system. We’ve become too hygienic in our sanitised lives. Let’s embrace the benefits of a little shared air and reduce our allergies.
Impromptu debates at the Sylvans
We regularly host impromptu debate at the end of our rapid debate evenings, typically held on the third Monday of the month (except for some months with Monday bank holidays). Please see our next event for info about upcoming rapid debate sessions.
Beyond impromptu debate, please see summaries of other Sylvan debates here.