Debaters Syndrome.

It usually happens to debaters, or people who used to be debaters. I have yet to meet one, not a single one, debater who does not have an attitude problem or rumoured to have attitude problems. More than rumours, people actually practically swear by them. So yes, I haven't met a debater, or an ex-debater who does not have a personality issue.

They're either too overbearing, type A types who always want to be the boss and be in charge, or they can get too argumentative to the point it gets really annoying. The I wanna slap you annoying. They just wanna argue about EVERYTHING! Even the colour of the carpet. And they always have to be right. They also tend to have the better-than-you air about them as they go around. It's quite a joke really. You can call it confidence, or arrogance. I call it arrogance. Confidence is knowing where to draw the line.

The public speaking geeks don't tend to have the problem too badly. They may have it, but mostly it seems on a more minor scale. Not as in-your-face as the debating ones. But of course, there are exceptions.

I raised this question once and my friend said that those people are hated because they know what they want and they stand up for it. And they have the substance to fight for it. Riiiight... But really. The colour of the carpet? Letting that one slide probably wouldn't hurt, or would it? Maybe it'll hurt their pride too much that they'll end up hospitalized for a weak out of a wounded ego. -_-"

I am not denying the truth behind his words, it's possible of course. Just not likely. There're people out there who can know what they want and not step on everyone else at the same time you know. But maybe he's just defending them because he's pretty much one of them. One of the ones remoured to have an attitude problem anyway. I don't know him well enough to really tell.

"I used to be a debater and I don't have that problem," Mademoiselle drawls over her cup of tea. ...

"At least, even if I do, maybe I do, I don't know. I keep it really well hidden."

Yeah... Well that's what I'm here for. I'm your moderating influence. That's the reason you don't have that problem.

"Or, I do have it. Just that I have graduated to a higher level of such arrogance in which I can actually stand to lose an argument because then I just think,

'These hopelessly deluded simpletons. They think they know but they don't actually. Ah well, if they insist, they can stay deluded if they want to. I tried to tell them but *shrugs* it's their choice. A fool speaks loudly and boasts about what he doesn't know.'

and then I laugh." With that, she smiles at me over her teacup.

Ok... My Dear Mademoiselle, thank God you have me.