I love listening to debates, and these have to be the worst run debates I have heard. The purpose of the moderator is to keep the debate on topic, ensure a fair playing field by keeping equal time on those talking, and encouraging civil discourse. I have listened to three different debates on this program, and the moderators go completely mute while the debates result in personal attacks and these long, drawn out games of 20 questions where one side spends half the time interrogating the other without even tying the questions to their own argument. (If I never hear "wouldn't you agree..." followed by some irrelevant hypothetical again, it would be too soon.) I am all here for an intense debate, but the audience is basically listening to two people (sometimes more) going back and forth on their opinions (rarely were any facts or studies presented in what I have heard so far) and the debaters running around topics that veer so far away from the debate topic, every single episode I have heard so far included one of the debaters asking how a point or question is relevant. As a listener, I had the same question in every case. I didn't expect the higher caliber debates I see in competitions and on larger platforms, but they could really use some work tightening things up so that the audience can come away with more information and (hopefully) better informed opinions. The one star for the topics themselves, as they are interesting and not really touched on by other platforms.

Wayyyyy too many Flat Earth episodes. The best way to get people invested is getting them angry. The thing that makes people the angriest is religion. Flat Earth isn’t controversial. Occasionally publish a episode that has very civil participants to retain a good reputation. Gobble Gobble fr

I wouldn't call this debating, more like people yelling and not listening to eachother. the moderation is poor also. there are a few good debates, but it's mostly filmed with amateurs hashing stupid topics.

Absolutely fantastic!!!! Love you Ryan and this guy for this one. I lean towards Bible cosmology but much loved how you handled Brian and Mc Toon. The monderator was the only good one today lol

Good podcast with some interesting debates — I wish the moderator didn’t read every single Q/A as they tend to be a waste of time and yield very little productive discussion

I give mdd 5 starts because I like the hosts and support the ideals behind this chanell and so I’m trying to keep it in 4 star territory! However I have a few things against this chanell that if I were to be honest would make ir a 4 or even a 3 star review! First, too many flat earth debates! Enough is enough! Every other debate is flat earth! Once a month? Once a season? Once a year??? But really? Every other debate has to be flat earth!!! It’s got to stop! Secondly, better vetting for the debators. Some of these “debators” are just clowns. Shouting, name calling, so many logical fallacies! I understand giving speakers a chance. I understand giving them second chances, but debators who are just crude, rude, disrespectful of their opponents, the moderators and by extension the audience should be eliminated from the programming! Finally, a need for diversity of topics! More political topics, more philosophical topics, more religious topics, more current event topics! Less flat earth topics… but I repeat myself! In conclusion, James, Ryan, guys, I love you! I love debate and I love MDD. I love the idea of all voices having a platform and all opinions having their moment on stage, I’ve been with you since the fall of non-seq. Jane’s you’ve done an amazing job growing MDD to be where it is today. Please take my criticism in the spirit it is intended! With love and respect and an earnest desire to see mdd be even better!

I have listen to many debates on this channel. In the last year I delete most of the debates within the first 30 min because I can tell from the opening statements the debate is going to be nonsense. Very few evidence based arguments, just hyperbole and unsupported claims. I truly encourage MDD to step up who they invite on. I want honest debaters without fallacious arguments!

Long time listener, and initially it was fun to listen to Arkham asylum’s finest ramble about their conspiracies, yet it is clear moderators have bias towards this unscientific community, and it has become unlistenable. They know any moderator pushback, even standard for evidence, or just a scoreboard would trigger the fringe anti establishment crowd they have. How many times will they let some random twitter psyco call in and expect to have a civil debate with someone who’s been to college? They spew lies that destroy a media environment like this one, and with no pushback whatsoever, it has become unbearable to listen.

Not enough variety. For instance, it’s been like 3 episodes since a flat earth debate. Also, do you guys even debate the moon landing? It’s turned comical actually. You’ve changed gentlemen, you’ve definitely changed. SMH

Really? Flat earth debates. Why don’t we have a debate on whether the tooth fairy is real? This podcast is stupid!!!!!

At times it becomes a circular argument and more like a personal attack and slander than a rational and cordial way to exchange ideas. I heard a couple of them and I’m already out. The moderating could be more firm and assertive to ensure the intelligent exposition of contradicting point of views.

The debates are good here but I get the vibe cherry picking is pretty common.

I’m very sad to leave this review, but it’s not getting any better. This platform used to be good, but the quality has slipped tremendously. Dishonest interlocutors have absolutely demolished the halfway decent reputation MDD once had. Every decent guest has disassociated themselves from this show, and for good reason. As the platform grows more desperate for content, they’ll apparently keep lowering the bar until it no longer exists. It’s embarrassing. And I genuinely hate to say that because I used to really like MDD, I really did.

Spreading misinformation and hate in the name of a good debate

MDD is unfortunately becoming a conspiracy theorist rabbit hole.

Not every debate is worth having. Or at least not every debater does not have the credentials worthy of listening to.

To new arrivals: seek debate through colleges and universities. To returning: Matt Dillahunty and TJump walked away due to the allowance of irrelevance into the proceedings. I suggest we all do the same. To MDD: I enjoyed your science and religion debates, up to the last seven minutes of your newest episode. You’ve stopped hosting debates and begun giving nonsense validity. At this point, your posts are more useful as an AVOID label, rather than being a meaningful transaction of knowledge leading to better communal understanding. I subscribed to hear interesting commentaries. I left to stop hearing the disinformation and disrespect.

4/2024 update - way too many flat earth debates! 3/30/24 Update Too many flat earth debates. Borrring. Thank you for this platform! Updated 11/26/23 Way too many flat earth debates. Especially the Whitsit guy who talks too fast, is not relatable, arrogant and irritating. I think Matt Dillahunty was set up. Moderators could have done a better job of keeping dialogue on topic rather than allowing underhanded personal attacks. I lost some respect for Dillahunty allowing his interlocutors to take him off his game and resulting in him running out and ending the debates like a loser. His opponents knew they couldn’t beat Matt in a debate, but they could make him blow a gasket by making underhanded personal statements.

Try to get someone on who can provide evidence that the earth is round please

You guys need to learn to moderate properly and bring in decent debaters who stay on topic. Some of your guests are just outright conspiracy theorists looking for a platform with out adjudication. You’ve given it to them. Lift your game or expect listeners to leave.

Perhaps it’s time that modern day debate moderated which debaters they allow on the show. Because of their indifference to the quality of the guests on the show, Matt Dillahunty is no longer going to be involved, which I think is a big loss. Also, why so many flat earth debates??

Stop allowing flat earthers a platform.

I have listened to a few and while sometimes there are informed and respectful conversations it often degrades to who can say the F word first (or most) to win, or such bad logical fallacies and straw man arguments the “guests” can’t be taken seriously. I really wonder if this is just the Phil Hendrie Show level of troll. The rules are kind of lax, it usually starts with a 12 minute statement from both sides then it’s hands off as the “open discussion” is where everything usually goes off the rails, talking over each other despite the host/moderator sometimes chiming in often with little effect. Then questions for either side from a paying audience until they are exhausted. I try and listen but I really think it’s making me dumber. There is no effort to understand the other side, and reasonable discussion is scant, replete with logical fallacies compounding the headache. It really is no different than reading a Facebook comment section or Twitter thread.

This show is a fantastic outlet for debate. The topics they are covering are some of the most thought provoking.

When one side derails the debate and the they spend an hour going in circles about unrelated things, its the mods responsibility to bring the conversation back on topic

I find it funny people are giving 1 star reviews due to them not liking what a person in the debate say. That’s not the platforms fault and I find it literally pants on head dumb. That is all. Keep killing it James! MORE ALEX STIEN

Brenton took a huge L in April 2022.

My previous review was deleted... interesting. It was regarding the Crowder “debate” where the woman debater said it was Crowder’s wife’s fault that he abused her; but the man debater had the opinion that Crowder was in the right to abuse his wife. Brilliant. I was literally stunlocked. Absolutely disgusting. Havent listened since.

While I love the idea of this platform and some of the debates that occur on here, I scroll through the list endlessly to try to find one to listen to where a credible presenter debates another credible presenter. Too often I see folks who undoubtedly got destroyed in debates on here because their premise didn’t hold water going on to debate someone else on a slightly different topic. I would prefer if it wasn’t David vs Goliath where Goliath wins and then David goes against George and George wins and then David goes against (insert G name here). It only continues to platform the weaker argument rather than bolster the stronger one. Cut David and challenge Goliath!

First, I should say that I REALLY like the concept of this pod. It’s great to bring different sides of various debates together on a neutral platform. The moderation and organization is also top-notch! However, the apparent lack of QC to keep the pod as effective as it could be is disappointing. There are some TRULY great episodes occasionally. But there are many that prove to be kinda drivel that should’ve been culled. For example, Witsit is a JOKE, who is only bolstered by the lamentable quality of his opponents. That being said, there are some impressively enlightening debates that occur. But the unfortunate aspect is that the listener is forced to sort the wheat from the chaff each time. It would be better if MDD could do some guest QC from the start and do a better job of saying “you’re not up to snuff” and save the listener some time.

Not even time for closing arguments before James had to get to paid chats. Keep making that money MDD.

Used to love this channel/podcast/etc. until James and MDD started inviting Flat Earthers on all the time for debates. I’m not watching or listening or downloading or SuperChatting or donating any more money until flat earthers are disinvited from the whole platform here.. Reason why? Flat earthers are intentionally spreading dangerous and harmful misinformation to children and impressionable people. They’re rude, they call people names, they engage in ad-hominem attacks, I’ve heard the disgusting and racist and homophobic and transphobic words and things they say in their little discord servers.. They are harmful, rude, disgusting, unintelligent, willfully ignorant, combative, and really the audience needs better people to listen to and better more complex and engaging and intellectually stimulating conversations to have/listen to. I’ve enjoyed MDD for a while but maybe I’ll start listening again one day after Flat Earthers are banned! Good luck you guys. Edit: the whole flat earth thing has just gotten worse from what I see on the MDD podcast feed and hear about. I really just don’t see the point in constantly inviting delusional, incorrect, ignorant, and stupid people on a show to debate whether or not the earth is round multiple times a week..? These people are literally the scum of the earth. And I know I’m not the only one that wants more intellectually superior conversations, topics, and speakers on MDD. Instead of a bunch of people who stopped thinking or learning anything passed the age of 6.

Though there are a couple of good debates on here, the majority of the ones I listened to were TikTok and YouTube stars that were not coming to the debate with either the skill or desire to seriously debate. Plus, platforming some of these people takes away from the legitimacy of the program.

Does It seems some debaters so lack preparation and evidence. We won the ‘pro’ side of a strip mining (which I detested) debate due to this when evidence the ‘con’s should have had could have trounced us. That being said I cannot finish many because I feel badly for some over the lack reasoning and rational thinking demonstrated.,

If you could release 3 of these a day I would listen to them all. So much fun. I love that you’re not afraid to have debates over crazy stuff that other platforms wouldn’t dare to hold. The only criticism I might have, let them go on tangents as long as they’re heated and genuine or interesting and not just a way to avoid the questions, it doesn’t take anything away from the show and it adds character to the debaters.

I am trying to find debates to listen to with my 16 year old daughter who is on her high school debate team. Several of these debates were fairly disciplined and informative. I was about to contribute financially to this podcast until I head the one on Ukraine. The gentleman defending Russia”s action used inappropriate language repeatedly and interrupted the other side continually. This was an argument not a debate.

Cliffe and Stuart knectle are so whiny. Jeeze. Great reps for Christianity.

Please, enough of the moon-landing and flat earth stuff. You are allowing your channel to be transformed into a meme.

This is doing for podcasts what Hammurabi did for all those gardens.

Some of the topics are a bit silly, but they are always entertaining! Thanks in no small part to the host! James Kunz (and the guest host) are fair and unbiased i their moderation. Give it a listen!

Between audio levels well out of balance, and inevitable babbling and talking over each other, this is an amusing soup. This podcast is unlistenable for me. Better editing & structure would do wonders as they seem to have great intentions and ideas.

I thought this debate was based on fact and educated debators. It’s really just 2 people arguing against each other’s opinions, not facts. Disappointed.

I edge to this podcast also.

Interesting topics around science, politics and religion with great debaters and hosted by the best moderator around...much love James. I highly recommend!

I really like how the debates are structured. The host is fair. The subjects are interesting to me at least. Some of the debaters are excellent. This is a breath of fresh air since most people generally don’t actually debate anymore.

I tend to think that this channel holds a better debate format because they tend to run a bit longer than others, and are more loosely standardized, which allows for more discussion that goes more in-depth, with more back-and-forths. Great channel

this podcast has the potential to be great but the moderator, James, is biased and maybe I misunderstood his role but I thought this was supposed to be a neutral place for debates to be had; James shows favoritism to those individuals whom tend to argue in favor of leftist views.

One of my favorites.

What is the time gap between uploading to YouTube and uploading on the podcast? I like to listen to the podcast while working out but it seems at times to be an almost 3week gap. love the debate but hate the wait💜

Thank you guys so much for bringing great debates to YouTube and Podcast. After Pangburn tried to ruin debate forever by monetizing it in the most selfish way possible and having his own clear biases on display, your clear desire to genuinely foster good, honest discussion is so amazing.