Free, open, honest and vigorous debate is essential to really understand any public issue at hand and for a well functioning and healthy society. Being able to exchange and contest ideas freely in a debate is essential. It helps you grow intellectually and to really understand and engage in bigger topics, and should be an essential part of any formal education. We need more independent thinkers and people with confidence to challenge ideas and assumptions with intellectual vigor, to ask hard questions, to confront problems and deal with them head-on clearly, logically and with integrity.