Balloon debate

A balloon debate is a debate in which a number of speakers attempt to win the approval of an audience. The audience is invited to imagine that the speakers are flying in a hot-air balloon which is sinking and that someone must be thrown out if everyone is not to die.

In a balloon debate, speakers must argue their case for not being thrown out of a hot-air balloon

Each speaker has to make the case why they should not be thrown out of the balloon to save the remainder. Typically each participant speaks on behalf of a famous person, profession, fictional character, etc.^[1] Other perilous situations may take the place of the sinking balloon, for example, a shipwrecked raft, or a nuclear bunker.

The balloon debate style appears in the Big Brother reality television series where contestants must make a case for them not being thrown out.^[2]

It is often used to build argumentative skills in preparation for Speech and Debate activities such as public forum, policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas.

See also

• Lifeboat ethics
• Storytelling game