I must say both sides did a great job!!! congratulations!!!!

However, one input for both sides: although the readers can easily deduce the topic of this debate from the context, it is better that both sides declare their moot up front for clarity purpose.

very interesting topics...it is not only about language, also a good training in "logic"...

DId the topic come from the old saying " 人要衣装“。 if it did, I have a "dummy"question here---how to define the clothes? Only the "clothes" which we wear, or we can extend the idea to other staff such as makeup or anything else related to the appearance?

good point... let's see how the affirmative and negative sides take up this~~~

The saying "clothes makes a person" has often been misunderstood to be
judging a person from his looks. In modern society clothes do tend to
assume a bigger role in representing their wearer than they deserve,
a person's attire can lead to automatic assumptions such as his class,
education, (tshirt and jeans for "college student", worn out shorts for
"bum"...) political attitude, (as in "hippie", "punk"...), or even
sexual orientation. This is a social problem in its own.

However when we look back to the original social function of clothes,
namely to decorate a person and protect him / her from the elements, we
should see that as an expression of one's attitude, clothes play an
important part in his interaction with the society. There are indeed
published and unspoken rules about one's attire in different situations,
it is sometimes an obligation, other times to show respect, that one should
dress accordingly. For example, empolyees from a finacial company usually
wear formal suits to work; in the government office of the late Singaporean
president Lee Kuan Yew, employees stick to white shirt to demonstrate their
opposition to bureaucracy. In a more extreme case, if one shows up in a
wedding in funeral-like attire, it will ruin the mood even if he did not
do this intentionally.

What kind of clothes can make a person? It is more about knowing one's
place and function in the society than good sense of style. Of course
some of the most unforgettable people have, coincidentally the most
eccentric styles. Even then, the society can tolerate Hef's pyjamas or
Dalai Lama's buddist robe exactly because those attire represent their
role in public, not so much because they find it tasteful. As much as
personality and other merits go, the respect and attitude that goes with
"looking one's part" speaks before the person does.

Wow, well done, DoTann mm! I am being pursuaded by you now~~~

Our next debator will be oncogenes to defend the negative side. Welcome, oncogenes!

Dear Quaint, Ayanami, DoTaNN, my leader Teagy, and all other friends who
are watching our debating,

May I remind you to look at our title again? It is “clothes MAKES a person”,
not “clothes is important to a person”, which was indoctrinated repeatedly
to us by our Affirmative friends, who should have focused more on our real
title.

No one dares to ignore the high importance of clothes, which is one of too
many necessities in our life, like water and food. Does “food makes a person”
sound weird to you? Not only weird, but also funny. So does “clothes makes
a person”!

It’s REALLY true that Dalai Lama is always wearing his Buddhist Robe to show
his religion belief and leadership. But robe is only a robe. Without his knowledge, wisdom, and many years of cultivation, Dalai Lama would be nothing but another
laic. If clothes really could make a person, would I be him when I got into Dalai
Lama’s Robe? Definitely is it a joke. Here I can’t stop to mention the serious corruption of some Chinese officers who are wearing the uniforms. Does the
uniform label one’s responsibilities and respects? Yes. Did the uniforms stop
their evil-doings? No! Then, how can you tell people that “clothes makes
a person”?

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-5-13 13:05:37编辑过]

Excellent, oncogenes! Dalai Lama's robe is only a robe wiithout his knowledge, wisdom, and many years of cultivation. That was quite a rebuttal.

Now we start the last/final round from Aya. I deleted some posts to make debators' posts easier to follow.

Now, welcome Aya!

let's have a round of claps....

quaint mm, i pm aya long time ago,but obviously not working... maybe u should try ~~