icy were getting too angry and
ist without cigarette smoke,” a
emotional,” the chairman of the
panelist for the motion, Roger
Rosenkranz Foundation, Robert
Kimball, said. “But Hollywood
Rosenkranz, said. ■ The debate
tends to make the malignancy
series should “expose people
worse.” ■ Mr. Kimball, an editor
America was part of a new live
to both sides of an argument
and publisher of the New Crite-
debate series called Intelligence
and foster greater respect for
rion, said Hollywood films foster
Squared, which is funded by the
the opposing view,” Mr. Rosen-
a view of America as “a decadent
Rosenkranz
The
kranz said. ■ Debaters have in-
society in love with nihilism.”
debate series is seeking to trade
cluded columnist Christopher
■ Speaking against the motion,
In a packed auditorium at the
punditry for dialogue, accord-
Hitchens, the editor of the Par-
a screen writer, Richard Wal-
Asia Society and Museum ear-
ing to the executive producer,
is Review, Philip Gourevitch,
ter, said Hollywood films “show
lier this month, a panel of distin-
Dana Wolfe. The series caters
and the Israeli ambassador
that we’re an open society.” The
guished scholars, editors, and
to an intellectual audience ea-
to the United Nations, Daniel
violence and sex in such films
filmmakers debated the motion:
ger for more than sound bites
Ayalon.■ ■ At the Hollywood de-
“was not invented by 11 Jews
“Hollywood fuels anti-American-
on political and social issues of
bate, witty and convincing ar-
at Paramount Studios a couple
ism abroad.” The hour-and-a-half
international concern. ■ “Media
guments were greeted with
of weeks ago.” ■ Before the de-
conversation about whether the
was getting too partisan, Con-
laughter and applause from the
bate, a majority of the audience
film industry or the war in Iraq
gress was getting too bitter and
audience. “Anti-Americanism
said they favored the motion
was more to blame for grow-
rancorous — even ordinary social
abroad would exist without Hol-
or were undecided; afterward,
ing international ill-will toward
conversations about public pol-
lywood, just as cancer would ex-
59% voted against the motion.
New Debate Series Addresses Pressing Questions of the Day
–
by a n n i e ka r n i , ja n ua ry 2 , 2007
Foundation.
“Media was getting too partisan, Congress was getting too bitter and rancorous — even ordinary social conversations about public policy were getting too angry and emotional.” – Robert Rosenkranz ■ Debate topics in the series range from whether America should tolerate a nuclear Iran to whether freedom of expression includes the right to offend. The debates have not been advertised, Mr. Rosenkranz said. Instead, he is sending out invitations to leading journalists, investment bankers, public policy scholars, and political donors. ■ “The idea is that the quality of the questions would be higher, and the evenings would have not only an intellectual dimension,
but also a social dimension,”
Ms. Spiers only criticism was of
prise Institute, Joshua Murav-
Mr. Rosenkranz said. ■ “I think
the format. “I think they let the
chik, said after participating in
the format causes the audience
panelists talk too long,” she said.
the Hollywood debate. ■ Intelli-
to focus much more intensely
■ The form is traditional, Oxford-
gence Square members who pay
than it would if it was just a lec-
debate style: one side of three
a minimum of $10,000 for the se-
ture on the same subject,” the
speakers proposes a motion and
ries are invited to dine with the
chief investment strategist for
another side of three speakers
panelists after the debates. Indi-
the hedge fund Pequot Capital,
opposes the motion. An impar-
vidual tickets are also available
Byron Wien, said. “There was
tial moderator presides over the
for $40 a debate.
an element of competition and
debate, and the audience, which
excitement about it.” ■ “The au-
votes before and after the de-
dience was very engaged, physi-
bate, decides the winner by its
cally responding to the debate,”
final vote. ■ “I came away with a
the publisher of Dead Horse
good feeling about the exercise,”
Media, Elizabeth Spiers, said.
a scholar at the American EnterFALL 2006 15