In Class: Argument

The argument I brought into class today is a series of pictures from the Iron Man competitions. Multiple pictures of this competition show thousands of people racing to the finish line through a series of different events such as swimming, cycling, and running. At first when contemplating this assignment I thought of the usual ideas of an argument. Presidental debates, senate house hearings, a court of law, or any type of normal human to human dispute. I tried to move beyond these simple ideas of an argument and think outside the box. My next thought was what is like an argument, but does not come to mind directly through argument of words.

A competition is made up of different people trying to say something about themselves. In the Iron Man competitions each person participating is trying to prove their own point that they are one of the strongest, most determined, and most driven. As each person swims, cycles, and runs they are trying to argue their own case, that they are the ones that are going to cross the finish line first or just prove that they can make it through the entire race. One aspect of this competition that I found to be very much like an argument was the back and forth-ness of each person. As one person progresses they begin to win the argument that they are stronger, faster, better than the other. Then the person behind slowly begins to inch their way in front of the next arguing that they are the stronger, faster, better of the two. Very much like a "typical" argument where each side takes turns disputing their case and trying to prove they are right. The race is an argument for athletes to prove themselves and to prove their case without words.

Many athletes participate in the Iron Man to prove to themselves that they can make it through the entire competition. To many people it is not even about finish first, in the top ten, or even in the top one hundred, but just finishing completely. This can be described as an argument with oneself. Throughout the race each person is internally arguing with oneself. "Go faster"..."Keep going"..."Do not give up"...