GDP Is The Place To Be

Have you ever wanted to learn more about global affairs, but watching the news just bores you to tears?  If so, there’s a new club at St. Christopher’s that discusses the same topics in a more fast-paced and engaging manner. 

Juniors, Colin Wishnack, Charlie Georgerian and Luke Switzer ’27 founded the Geopolitical Debate Posse because they felt there was a distinct lack of focus on foreign issues in our community and the country at large. Compared to other countries, “the [general] knowledge of Americans is quite dismal,” concerning foreign issues, according to Wishnack. The club leaders believe that this issue should be rectified, considering that America’s prominent position in world politics affects the American populace as a whole. 

Geopolitics also has relations with other topics students may be interested in, such as economics, and it broadens the students’ perspectives toward issues that don’t typically affect their day-to-day, in the way a government shutdown might.     

While some may compare the pre-existing Political Awareness Club to GDP, topics of discussion are differentiated by their focuses, with the former targeting domestic issues and the latter targeting international ones. However, the clubs will share some minor aspects, such as guest speakers and an occasional shared meeting. The meeting structure itself is partially inspired by the late Charlie Kirk’s college discussions and also bears a resemblance to Jubilee’s One Versus Twenty debate videos. One of the club leaders will be placed in the center of a circle, and they will make a statement. Anybody who disagrees with their claim can step up and argue for a certain amount of time, and afterward, the moderator will declare a winner. The winner will then assume his position at the center of the circle and make his next claim. These discourses center around a singular topic that will be emailed to members of the club at least five days in advance, with links for preliminary research attached. GDP is also the only club aside from the Investment Club that features its own bylaws. These laws were written jointly by the three heads and are meant to ensure the debates maintain decorum throughout.  

The name GDP was specifically made to inspire more inquiry as to the club’s purpose. This is similar to the club leaders’ “Tootsie Pop” strategy. This is a basic marketing ploy based on giving out candy that is physically visible during consumption, so that more people will be drawn to sign up as the lollipops gradually spread.  In the GDP’s case, their 67 tootsie pops turned into 110 student signups. 

Whether or not you are among the number who fell for this strategy, you should consider giving the GDP a chance. If you have opinions that you’d like to voice, have an itch for an engaging conversation or simply want to sit back and learn by observing the discussions, then GDP is the place to be.