“The word is YES, say it a million times … it always leads to something good.” - Jim Carrey, Yes Man
But there are dangers to being a Yes Man. Accepting opportunities and information without questioning can lead to sticky situations and embarrassing moments.
Fortunately, my participation in policy debate has taught me to be anything but a yes man. Sifting through databases of information to research both sides of a resolution has instilled in me a healthy skepticism of overly simple solutions to complex societal problems. Just as my speeches are typically filled with indicts of my opponents’ cases, I find myself instinctively detecting the fallacies in billboards and commercials.
So, for most questions, it’s a maybe from me—until I consider several other possibilities and perspectives. As Jim Carrey comes to realize,
“Maybe’s fine. I like maybe!”